Teddy's Story
by GingerNinja1
Summary: There had always been talk that Teddy's relationship with Victoire went further than 'just friends', something he had always denied and found highly amusing. Returning from a year travelling the world, he realises that those rumours might have been right.
1. Prologue Teddy's Journey

**Prologue - Teddy's Journey **

Hogwarts was over. For Teddy Lupin at least, seven years of magical education had been completed and now he was off on what his Muggle-born friend Mike Williams termed a 'gap year', something that was apparently quite common in the Muggle world, taking a year long vacation before moving into the real world.

They had planned it meticulously after finishing their exams. They were going to travel mostly as Muggles, using their trains, cars and aeroplanes where needed, to travel from Thailand, south through Malaysia, island hop across Indonesia, down the East Coast of Australia, up through New Zealand, up the California coast in the USA, hop to New York and then finally back to London, taking just a little over twelve months. If they could afford it, that was.

When Teddy had approached Harry with the plan, he had insisted on paying for them both to travel, using the Black family fortune. His godfather had inherited a considerable amount of money which he didn't want or indeed need, and thought there could be no better use for the Pureblood family's money than to be spent on sending his son of a blood traitor and half-breed godson and his Mudblood best friend on a round-the-world trip as Muggles. Somewhere, he said, his own godfather, Sirius Black, would be laughing his arse off.

And so it was, that three days after leaving Hogwarts via the same small boats they had entered in as young and innocent first years, they would be taking an aeroplane (Teddy's first trip on such a contraption) to Bangkok to start their adventure. However, before that, there was a small matter of a going away party, organised by the formidable Molly Weasley, a woman you did not say no to.

Teddy was sat in his room at his Grandmother's house, awaiting Mike's arrival. At eighteen years old, Teddy Lupin was a lean man of just under six feet tall, and due to his mother's Metamorphamagus genes his appearance was ever-changing, though these transformations were mostly focused on his hair, today a short crop of jet black.

Mike and Teddy had met, as many of best friends do at Hogwarts, on the train to school in their first year. Mike was slightly short and podgy in those days, with floppy blonde hair and a cocky smirk on his face. Teddy, having been raised in the magical world, had spent much of the journey explaining all he knew about Hogwarts to the fascinated boy who had in turn shown him some of his Muggle things he'd brought with him to school. Whilst Mike would not be proficient enough at Charms to get even the most basic electronics working for another four years, Teddy still firmly believed that the Biro was the greatest of all the Muggle inventions. It had saved him hours of broken quills and ink-stained fingers, especially when they had learnt how to put spell-checking charms on the pens.

This was how the friendship started, and over the years it had grown. Being the only one of three brothers who had been given the gift of magic, Mike remained very rooted in the Muggle world, and had at an early part of his Hogwarts career decided it was his calling to bring the best of Muggle to the Wizarding world. For Teddy, this came in many forms over the years, music and film, gadgets and games, even sports. Apparently the Muggleborns of Hogwarts couldn't resist a kick-about when someone produced a football, despite years of watching Quidditch.

That was how the travelling plan was formed, to live and interact with people as Muggles for a year, to give Teddy a proper education. Not so much abandoning magic, but letting it take a back seat in their lives for a while.

There was a knock on the door, and Mike Williams ambled into Teddy's bedroom. Puberty had been especially kind to Mike, transforming him from short and pudgy to very tall and broad at some point over the summer between their 4th and 5th years. No longer floppy haired, Mike preferred to keep his head shaved, though he still smirked in that same cocky way. While Teddy was polite and the perennial 'nice guy,' Mike was brash and somewhat obnoxious, something that took some getting used to if you didn't know him very well.

"Alright, shithead," Mike said, employing his ever-friendly greeting with a broad grin on his face. "All ready to rock-and-roll?"

"Yeah, think so. I know we're Muggle-ing this up, but I did cheat and put some expansion and feather-light charms on my bag, so we don't get stung at the airport for being over weight."

"Good thinking, Batman, I did the same thing. My bag is downstairs." Mike surveyed Teddy s appearance. "I see you went shopping for the big trip!"

"What? Oh yeah, look alright?"

"Yes mate, you're perfectly passable."

Teddy had always been brought up on robes and only owned a small selection of generic Muggle clothes, so he had been shopping round London for a larger wardrobe of more Muggle articles. Today was the first dry-run with his adoptive family with the new attire. Teddy had selected a white fitted t-shirt with a somewhat abstract pattern in black and blue on the front, with a pair of black slim jeans and a pair of trainers called 'Converse' which Mike kept banging on about.

"Is that a new shirt I see there, Mr Williams?" Teddy said coolly, surveying his friend's attire. Mike wore all sorts of eclectic t-shirts and today's was a tight, bright yellow one, which proclaimed in black and pink: 'Never mind the bollocks, here's the SEX PISTOLS'.

"Yeah, my brothers bought me some new gear for the big trip. There's this one, a couple of other random ones, a very nice one with The Clash on and some new jeans."

"Check you out!"

"Yeah, well, Dave and Alex said it was my Christmas and 19th birthday presents rolled into one, as they're not seeing me. Only right I feel!"

"That was nice. Anyway, better not keep Gran waiting, we should head off to this party.. It's gonna be manic, you do know that right?"

Mike pulled a funny face. "I have met your not-family before, you know."

"Not all at once you haven't..." Teddy said with a bit of reservation. Mike clearly had no idea.

"How bad can it be?" He replied nonchalantly.

Teddy just laughed.

* * *

Half an hour later, Mike had found out just how bad it could be. There were twelve Weasley/Potter grandchildren of varying ages, from sixteen-year-old Victoire to seven-year-old Lucy, and to put them all in the same place usually meant a riot. This was exactly how The Burrow was on this bright July day.

"Bloody hell," Mike muttered, as James and Albus Potter with Freddy Weasley close behind rocketed past him, brooms in hand. "Bloody buggeration."

"Told you," Teddy said smugly. "I'm guessing Vic and the older kids will be in with the olds. At least they won't try and run you down, brooms in hand."

"Olds?" Mike raised an eyebrow.

"Well, they kept referring to us as 'the kids' so we started to referring to the adults as 'the olds'. It kinda stuck."

"I like it," Mike smiled. "Though I'd not dare call Harry Potter or Ron Weasley old, they'd probably sling me in Azkaban."

"It's Ginny you want to watch out for, not those two," Teddy laughed. "Come on, lets get out of the madness."

The three eldest Weasley grandchildren were all the offspring of Bill and Fleur Weasley. Victoire was the eldest at 16, with the twins Dominique and Louis a year younger at 15. There was then a gap of three years before you reached Freddy and James, who were just about to start Hogwarts, meaning that there was a distinct clique of older children at the top of the tree, which included Teddy both as a member and as de-facto leader as the eldest.

Dodging round the squirts and saying hello to various members of the family, the pair made their way into the sitting room, where as predicted, Mike and Teddy found Victoire, Dominique and Louis sat with Ginny and Hermione. Louis looked distinctly bored and was the first to spot his not-cousin, shooting out of his chair.

"Teddy! Alright, mate?" He exclaimed, before adding in a mutter, "Thank Merlin you're here mate, I was about to go spare with all the girl-talk."

"Alright, Louis," Teddy said, giving him a one armed hug, Louis then turned to Mike, waving hello.

"Mikey, how's it going mate?"

"Not bad, geeze. Yourself?" Mike replied, shaking his hand.

"Yeah, better now you boys are here," Louis smiled, evidently very glad to have some male company.

Victoire and Dominique both stood too, and there was a round of hugs and hellos amongst the young adults of the group, before Ginny and Hermione waded in as well. Mike had met Ginny before, as it would have been hard to avoid meeting Teddy's godmother, but he was duly introduced to Hermione also. He was only a little bit star-struck.

The three eldest Weasley grandchildren were various combinations of their parents. Victoire was most like her mother, sharing her flowing blonde hair and features, but her temperament was more of her father. Dominique, or Nikki as she was usually know, had strawberry blonde hair and was a mix of both her parents, whilst her fraternal twin Louis was pretty much a blonde Bill.

After the greetings had been exchanged, the two boys had sat down with the group and the questions started.

"So, tell us everything!" Ginny exclaimed. "Where are you going? What are you planning to see?"

"Er, I'll let Mike answer this one. He's the genius behind this little adventure," Teddy said, handing over to his friend.

"Excellently delegated there, Ted," muttered Victoire, who was sat immediately to his left. He just smirked at her.

"Right, well," said Mike, pulling out his wand and flicking it so a globe appeared to float in the air before them. He showed how they were to fly to South East Asia, and then highlighting his proposed stop offs with a small dot at each location, joined up by a neat golden line. Their walk-through of the trip was well practised, having explained it to just about everybody they knew over the last few weeks. Teddy was sure this was the fifth time Victoire for instance had seen it.

"..and then from New York, we fly back to London," Mike concluded.

"Wow," said Hermione, "that's quite the trip. And you're intending to pass yourselves off as Muggles for the whole thing?"

"Yeah, that's the plan. Hence the get-up!" Teddy said, gesturing to his clothes.

"I like it," Nikki added. "Robes are a bit stuffy, you two are looking sharp."

"I wonder if Mum will get me some proper Muggle t-shirts.. That one is so cool!" Louis added, pointing at Mike's shirt. Victoire wrinkled her nose at it.

"Sex Pistols? Are they that awful Muggle band you two like?"

There was some loud outrage at this remark from both Mike and Teddy. Though it is genuinely accepted that the Sex Pistols were not actually a very good band, one did not insult the Sex Pistols, especially when you were a teenage girl who thought warbling dirge like The Stupefys was good.

"I was always more of a Clash fan myself," Hermione interjected, hoping to stave off an argument. Teddy and Mike just goggled at her. "What? They're a very good band."

"Hermione, I am suddenly seeing you in a very new light," Teddy said, somewhat in awe. Mike looked like he had just fallen in love. "Vic, you'd do well to get some records off your Aunt here, she clearly has very good taste."

"Well, it'll give me something to do whilst you two are off globe trotting and I'm stuck with the munchkins," she retorted, sticking her tongue out at Teddy.

They discussed their travel plans in more depth. Louis and Nikki were both particularly interested in their aeroplane journeys, something they had read about in Muggle Studies, but never actually seen or experienced. Hermione and Ginny departed eventually, looking for their own offspring, leaving the teenagers alone in the front room.

"Right, so it's boring in here," Louis said, standing up. "Let's head outside and see if we can inspire the parents into playing that Muggle game Mike likes with the funny coloured Quaffle."

"Football, Lou." Mike corrected, as he and Nikki both stood and started to make their way outside. "I've never understood why Wizards have so much trouble remembering the names of stuff."

Nikki's voice carried back into the room from the doorway. "Well, it's because the Muggles insist on giving everything stupid names."

"Stupid names? It's FOOT, as in bottom of your leg, BALL as in round thing. Not exactly complicated like 'Quidditch,' is it?"

Teddy and Victoire were left alone in the living room. Teddy hopped up from his chair and offered both his hands to her, tugging her out of the chair.

"Come on then blondie, let's go say hello to the kiddies," Teddy said, but Victoire didn't move, rather she was staring at her feet.

"I can't believe you're leaving me for a whole year," she said quietly. "It'll be like those two years you were at Hogwarts without me all over again."

Almost instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, her head resting in the crook of his shoulder. "It's only a year Vic, it's not like I'm leaving permanently. I'll send you a ton of postcards!"

"Yeah, but you'll still be gone," she said, squeezing Teddy tightly round the waist. "Who's going to look after me now?"

"Victoire Weasley, we both know you are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. Though I am going to have to charge Louis with dealing with all those potential boyfriends who come sniffing round.. We can't just stand Mike next to you now to scare them off."

Victoire laughed a little and relaxed her grip, looking up at Teddy. "You better write me, Teddy Lupin, or Merlin help you when you come back."

"That's actually the scariest threat I've ever had, and it came from a 5'4" blonde girl," Teddy smirked.

"Yeah, and you know Williams won't hit a girl, so you're on your own this time my dear," Victoire said, breaking loose from the embrace, but grabbing Teddy s hand. "Come on, lets go see if they've been inspired to play that silly ball game."

* * *

Several hours and several courses later, the party was beginning to wind down. Most of the younger children were nodding off and even the elder kids were beginning to wane. The usually perpetually hyper-active Freddy Weasley looked like he was about to drop off and an exhausted James Potter was fast asleep on the rug. Slowly the children and their parents began to leave, until only Bill and Fleur Weasley and their three children remained at The Burrow. Molly Weasley had long since gone to bed leaving Arthur Weasley, his eldest son, his daughter-in-law and three grandchildren in the front room with Teddy and Mike.

"So, Mike, how did you find your first proper encounter with our family?" Bill asked the teenager, handing him a small glass of Firewhiskey.

"Manic," Mike answered honestly. "I mean, been over for dinner at Harry's, so I've met James, Albus and Lily before, and I obviously know these three reprobates from school, but I think having you all in the same place pretty much defines chaos."

Bill Weasley laughed. "You didn't warn him before you brought him over, Teddy?"

"I did, he didn't believe me though!" Teddy said, sipping his own Firewhiskey.

"Nobody every does.. You have no idea how worried I am now you two are leaving. Rumour has it you keep the less respectable boys of Hogwarts away from my daughters." Teddy and Mike both snorted into their drinks.

"DAD!" Exclaimed both Nikki and Victoire

"The day these two are 'respectable' will be a very cold day in dragon s belly." Victoire added.

"I'm sure Louis will fill the role well, to be honest. Though another rumour has it you were the one who taught Ginny her Bat-Bogey Hex, so perhaps you needn't be worried," Teddy said, thoughtfully.

"I'm not," Bill stated, looking proudly at his children. "But it was always nice to have a pair of substitute older brothers to look after then. I nearly decked Harry when I found out he was going out with Ginny, so I guess I wanted that same thing for these two."

The thought of the mild-mannered Bill Weasley beating up the Voldemort-defeating, hardened Auror Harry Potter brought the room to roars of laughter.

"What? He used to be much smaller and skinnier than he is now!" Bill said, affronted by the laughter.

"I'm sure Dad. Uncle Harry would kick your arse!" Louis said, smirking.

"Fleur, back me up here!" he said, turning to his wife, perhaps trying to regain some male pride. She just giggled behind her hand. "Dad?"

"I'm staying out of this. I was always very happy for Ginny and Harry, unlike you and Charlie," the ever even-handed Arthur Weasley said. "Charlie s plan of setting a dragon on him was brilliant, until he realised Harry had bested one of his dragons at the age of fourteen and thought the better of it."Bill groaned, "Anyway, whilst I may have not been able to protect my own sister, she was being chased by the bloody Boy-Who-Lived.. Wait, was I making a point here?"

"Something about Teddy protecting us from harm?" Nikki smirked.

"Yes! Well, now you're gone, it just makes me worry." He paused looking thoughtful.

"Bill, trust me when I say, given the choice between the business end of Victoire's or Mike's wand, I'd always chose Mike's. And they wanted him in the MLES."

"Well, that makes me worry less..." Bill said, smiling at his daughter proudly. "Anyway troops, I think we should be making a move."

"Yeah, us too," Teddy said. "Got a plane to catch tomorrow!"

There was a round of handshakes and hugs, and the Weasleys started to make their way to the fireplace. Bill, Fleur and Dominique disappeared quickly, and it was soon Victoire's turn.

"Oh bollocks," Victoire muttered, just before she stepped into the fire. "I've left my bag in the garden. Louis, tell Mum and Dad I'll just be a minute."

"No worries," he said, before promptly disappearing too in a swirl of green flame.

Mike and Teddy stood alone in the front room, Arthur Weasley having retired to his bedroom after saying his goodbyes.

"You go ahead mate, I'll wait for Vic." Teddy said. Mike just smirked.

"I bet you will. That whole big brother talk left me very amused, I must say."

"Bugger off, you know it's not like that," Teddy said, punching his friend on the arm, who just laughed and disappeared into the fireplace.

Mike, from the day he had met Victoire some five years ago on the Hogwarts Express, had been insinuating that Teddy and Victoire were madly in love with each other, but too stubborn to admit it. The concept was ridiculous, but the teasing that led from it was what made it fun for him apparently.

Several minutes passed. Stood alone in the near-dark, Teddy watched the flames of the fire. Victoire was certainly taking a long time. Teddy headed towards the doorway which led to the Kitchen, on his way to the back door. He didn't so much as meet her on the way through as run straight into her. They toppled backwards and fell onto the living room floor with a soft thump.

"Ah, there you are," Teddy drawled sarcastically to the top of Victoire's head, which was currently buried in the front of his t-shirt, blonde hair a mess. Her legs had managed to end up straddled either side of his, and a hand had been flung round his neck.

"Very funny Lupin, now help me up," Victoire muttered, lifting her head to meet his eyes.

"Er, you're laying on top of me dearest, not the other way round," he smirked, but suddenly the intimacy of the position seemed to catch up with them and the world went quiet. Victoire's Weasley blush was almost bright enough to light the room and she got up hurriedly and they walked toward the fireplace in silence.

"So..." she said, turning to Teddy, "you're leaving tomorrow then."

"Yeah," Teddy replied quietly, avoiding eye contact.

"This should be less awkward," Victoire said, moving slowly toward him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "That's better."

They stood again in silence just holding each other for a moment, before Teddy spoke. "I really am going to miss you Vic. It's going to be a mad year, and I wish you were coming with me."

"I know," she said softly. "I'll miss you too, Teddy." She released his from the hug again, slipping backwards until the tips of her fingers were just barely still rested on his torso. Standing on her tiptoes, she delicately kissed him on the lips. "Bye, Ted, don't forget about me."

With that, she turned and disappeared into the fire.


	2. Teddy's Return

**Chapter 1 - Teddy's Return**

_(One Year and 10 Days Later)_

Teddy and Mike has made their way around the world. Their plane had touched down at London Heathrow about an hour previously, they had collected their backpacks, made their way past a man who probably had some Troll blood in him working for Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, and were now headed to the exit where they were to be met by Harry and his family. Mike's parents were currently off on holiday, so he would be staying with Teddy and his Grandmother for another week or so. "Typical, we get back to England and I have to spend another week with your ugly face, as if the last year hadn't been enough," Mike had said when he'd found out, through a barely suppressed grin. With his parents being Muggles, they were always somewhat bemused by his magical abilities.

"Ah, the beautiful English weather," Mike said sardonically, looking out of the windows as they approached the exit doors. As was typical, it was chucking it down. "Can't imagine how glad I am we're back on this rainy little island having just spent a year sipping cold beers in 30-degree-plus heat surrounded by bikini-clad women. It was a terrible existence."

"It rained in New York," Teddy muttered, though he too was not impressed by their reception by the British Isles.

"Yes, but in New York we had sexy accents!" Mike exclaimed.

"I know you're glad to be back, so don't bullshit me. Come on, I'm sure Harry and the family are planning a massive party for us."

"Like the one we had before we left? I feel I'm slightly better prepared this year."

"Nobody is ever prepared for a Weasley gathering," Teddy smirked as the two young men passed through the exit doors and began to scan the crowd for Harry Potter and his family.

It was little Lily Potter, now nine years old, who spotted them first, squealing with delight as she saw Teddy and breaking free of her mother's hand to be soon scooped up into a big hug. The rest of the family approached, Teddy hugged his godparents and shook hands with James and Albus who were both too big for hugs apparently.

"Look at you Teddy, so grown up!" Ginny said, taking in his appearance. "New jacket?"

"Yeah, found it in a random shop in New York. It was bloody freezing and we needed coats." The dark red motorcycle style leather jacket had been one of his greatest purchases on the trip.

"And what's this?" she flicked his left ear.

"Ah well," he thumbed the small black disk lodged in his ear. "Let's just say we'd had a few drinks and these Irish girls we met in New Zealand decided we needed a more permanent memorial to the trip, and I got this done at the same time."

Ginny raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him.

"Check it out.," Teddy said, slipping off his jacket and pulling up his sleeve to show an intricate array of gold and red stars, linked by black waves on his upper arm.

"THAT IS SO COOL!" James Potter exclaimed, before turning to Mike. "Did you get one too?"

Mike turned and pulled down the back of his jacket and shirt to reveal what appeared to be a funny-shaped letter E.

"What is it?" Asked Albus, looking at the funny shape. "It looks like a Rune."

"It's a Greek letter, capital Sigma," Mike stated, to blank looks on most everybody's faces. "I wanted a tattoo that summed me up..."

Everybody looked confused.

"I told you it was a terrible joke!" Teddy said. "It's an Arithmancy joke, it's the symbol of summation. Sums him up..." Harry and Ginny groaned.

"Oh very clever," Harry said. "I'm not sure what your Grandmother is going to say when she sees yours, but on your head be it."

"So, tell us everything!" Ginny said, smiling brightly, before her eyes flicked to the children. "That is age-appropriate of course."

"As if we'd have been up to anything age-inappropriate Ginny," Teddy smirked, and Mike laughed. "So, start at the beginning I guess..."

* * *

His Grandma had been more understanding about the new addition to his body than he had been expecting. Partly, Teddy thought, because she was just very glad to have him back. Andromeda had smiled her biggest smile when he had handed over a beautifully crafted dragon he had picked up in Indonesia, and placed it on the mantelpiece above the fire, pride of place.

Teddy had unpacked his things carefully. Along with the clothes he had taken with him, he had acquired many new things over his trip. As he unpacked, he thought about seeing everyone again; he had missed them all, particularly Victoire, through the course of his trip. He smiled, not having seen his oldest friend for over a year. It was a reunion he was very much looking forward to. The chaste kiss they had shared a year ago had not played on his mind that much, but when it did, it caused great feelings of confusion.

The boys showered and dressed, preparing to head off to the Burrow. Teddy had worn a fitted white t-shirt which stated "Home Taping is Killing Music" with the image of a Muggle cassette tape and a pair of crossed bones, that had been picked out for him by a very nice American girl they had met on the east coast of Australia. Mike had subsequently explained the logo's ironic history since the 1980s. The sleeves were cut quite high and his tattoo poked out from underneath, which he liked, plus the white made his impressive tan look even better. He shook his head into a floppy black mop that dangled just above his eyes and covered his ears.

"Ready? Took your bloody time," said Mike, who was sat reading a magazine on the sofa as Teddy appeared down the stairs carrying the bag which contained an array of gifts for various members of the family.

Mike had discovered cardigans at some point when they were in America, and had chosen to break his favourite black one out for tonight over a white t-shirt, sleeves rolled up to above his elbows. His hair, now grown out of the shaved look he had sported at school, was styled into a series of messy blonde spikes.

"Sod off," Teddy retorted, as Mike threw down the magazine and headed for the fire.

"I see you wore your best t-shirt. Any particular reason you're looking 'veely' well dressed?" Mike smirked, the implication obvious.

"Will you bugger off? I honestly don't know how I put up with you for a year," Teddy said, grabbing a pinch of Floo Powder. "You know, it's gonna be weird travelling by this stuff again."

"I never liked Floo Powder, stupid bloody stuff," Mike muttered, as Teddy threw his handful into the fireplace stating 'The Burrow!' clearly.

They appeared, one after another, in the Weasley Grandparents' fireplace. Though the weather had not cleared up, a series of charms had been placed over the garden to keep the rain off and warmth in, as it was the only place large enough for all of them to eat together. Teddy was accosted by various members of the Weasley family, all greeting him cheerily, commenting on his tan, piercing or tattoo. It did appear that one branch of the Weasley family was missing however.

"Where are Bill and Fleur?" Teddy asked Ron, who had been asking what home taping was, and how exactly it was killing music. Mike just smirked in the background so Teddy gave him the universal gesture for 'wanker'.

"Er, not sure actually," Ron said, looking to Hermione for help. "They're coming, though."

"They should be here any minute," Hermione said, looking at her watch. "I think they had a house guest this evening."

Recognition dawned on Ron's face, "Oh yeah...is she bringing him here?"

"I believe so, yes."

"Poor bloke. The first one was always going to get it the worst," Ron said, a sly grin on his face, "especially with Teddy back now."

"Someone want to fill me in with what's going on here exactly?" asked Teddy, who was incredibly confused at the exchange.

"Oh yeah, you don't know!" Ron exclaimed. "It's that Victoire...ROSE WEASLEY! Sorry mate, it appears my eldest is trying to trick her brother into sticking Bertie Botts beans up his nose."

Hermione and Ron both shot off across the room, to extract the Every Flavour beans from Hugo's nasal cavity.

"What was that about?" Teddy said, looking at Mike who in turn looked thoughtful.

"I've got an idea, but I'm not saying anything," Mike replied mysteriously. "Come on, let's see if they've got any beers in."

They ambled through the house toward the kitchen, where a special cupboard was kept cooled by a Charm. In ages past, it would have been used to house the more perishable items in a kitchen, however most Wizards these days used an anti-spoiling charm; these days, it was where the Weasley (and one Potter) men stored their beer at parties.

Teddy tugged open the cupboard and pulled out a couple of Refined Butterbeers. Though Butterbeer itself was alcoholic, it was of such a low content that you would have had to drink about 50 before you'd even feel the effects, Refined Butterbeer was the adult version, of a strength comparable to most Muggle beers and ciders. Mike flicked off the bottle caps with the opener he kept on his key ring, reportedly the most useful £1.50 he had ever spent.

"Oi, are you old enough to be drinking that?" came a voice from behind them, and they both twisted round to find the grinning face of Charlie Weasley.

"Charlie! Alright, mate?"

"Yeah not bad at all, was in the country so I thought I'd come and say hello. Get me one while your there, Teddy."

In their youth, it was reportedly Bill Weasley that was the most rock and roll of the Weasley brothers, however, marriage and three kids had perhaps caged in the formerly dragon-fang-earring-wearing, ponytail-sporting eldest brother. In Teddy's eyes, and the eyes of most of the Weasley grandchildren, Charlie was the coolest of them. Never settling down (he proclaimed he was married to his dragons) he had always been the one Uncle who still really showed that rebellious streak that resided in all Weasleys, which the family men had all but grown out of. When most people thought of rebellion in the Weasley family, they instantly though of George Weasley. However, while undoubtedly he was somewhat of a non-conformist, George was a shrewd and successful was the real rebel, and was someone Teddy had always had a lot of time for.

Teddy handed a beer to Charlie, who grinned. Despite being now in his mid-forties, he really didn't look much older than thirty. "Charlie, this is my mate, Mike, the guy who I went travelling with."

"Alright, Mike, how's it going?"

"Alright, not bad ta, you?"

"Yeah not bad. So then, boys, allow me to escort you to the garden where you can tell me all about you little trip. I'm sure there are some details which have been left out from my dearest sister's version."

Both the boys laughed; there certainly were a few details which had been skipped over on some of the tales told to both Teddy's godparents, and especially to his Grandmother.

* * *

An hour later, the three of them were just about ready to break into their fourth bottle of Refined Butterbeer. Sat in the garden on a bench, Charlie was enraptured by the tales of some of their more questionable antics.

"...right, so then this geezer comes out all 'what are you playing at dickhead?' after Teddy is grinding up against this girl he'd had his eye on..."

"Ha, yeah, so she's gone to the bar, and he gives me a shove. Now, I've had a few too many of those 'buckets' at this point, so I've got my mad drunken duelling skills at the ready to kick his arse."

"Now, numb-nuts here obviously forgets he's not got his wand on him, so strikes the proper duelling position, arm over the head and all, then suddenly realises his right hand is holding a bottle of Singha beer, not 10 inches of Willow and Dragon Heartstring."

"So now this mad guy takes a look at me, holding this bottle of beer, crouched low, and he's wondering what-the-fuck and decides his best course of action is to just charge."

"Right, so now I think it's time to step in, this guy gets about a yard from Ted and I appear."

"So Mike sticks his arm out and fucking CLOTHESLINES the guy, he flips a full 180 in the air and lands on his face!"

"Now I'm thinking at this point, balls, we're gonna get busted for this one. So I grab this idiot and we're heading out of this bar before the bouncers can get to us."

"Just as we're reaching the door, the girl that had started it all asks us where we're going. I manage to spin some yarn about getting some air, did she want to come with us.. .and off we stroll into the night with her, a few of her friends, completely Scott-free."

Charlie had his forehead in his hands, shaking his head, laughing hard. "Oh boys, brilliant effort. Did you score?"

Teddy and Mike just grinned.

"Filthy bastards.. .hey, is that my big dopey brother over there?"

Teddy and Mike spun their heads and it was indeed Bill Weasley, who had finally arrived and was stood in the doorway chatting to Audrey, wife of his brother Percy. He spotted them looking over, saluted his brother, along with Teddy and Mike, and grinned. Charlie raised his nearly empty bottle of Butterbeer, shook the dregs and pointed at it, before holding up 3 fingers. Bill raised his eyebrow and Charlie pointed at Teddy and Mike. Bill obviously understood, and disappeared back into the house.

"That's pretty cool that you can do that." Teddy mused.

"It's a talent." Charlie said, shrugging before his eyes went wide. "Merlin, is that Victoire? I've been away for too long."

Mike and Teddy spun again and there was almost an audible thud as Teddy's jaw dropped. Victoire looked, well, different. Her hair which had once been long, straight and way past her shoulders had been cut back, now it just touched her shoulders and instead of being swept back, her fringe hung forward, around the outsides of her face. Whilst Teddy was no make-up expert, he knew eye-liner when he saw it, and her eyes were now much darker in their frames, making her bright blue eyes stand out more. Then there were the clothes. Apparently he wasn't the only one who had discovered Muggle fashion. A light blue sun-dress clung to her slender frame and floated somewhere on her thigh, with thin, barely visible straps over her shoulders. Something in Teddy roared with approval.

"Eyeballs back in there, Lupin. That's my niece you're gawking at," Charlie muttered, managing to maintain both a familial menace and a slight twinkle in his eyes. He stood up and started to make his way over to his brother who had just reappeared with the beers. Teddy still hadn't taken his eyes off Victoire.

"And the penny finally fucking drops, after a mere 16 years," Mike said, shaking Teddy into looking at him. There was a very smug smile on Mike's face.

"What?" Teddy said in what he hoped was a nonchalant manner.

"Don't bullshit me, son. Come on, let's go say hello. Hey Vicky!" Mike shouted, standing up. Teddy stood also as Victoire whirled round finally spotting the two of them.

She practically ran from the door on sighting Teddy, before launching herself into his arms for quite frankly the tightest hug of his short life so far. Teddy had to fight with his brain not to acknowledge how soft the skin of her back was under his palms, or how she smelt, or those two things which were currently pressing into his own chest.

"I missed you so much, you great big lump," she murmured into his chest, before pulling away. "I barely recognised you, Ted. You look so different. Is that tattoo real?"

"Yeah it is..." Teddy said, trying to regain his composure. "Merlin, Vic, you look amazing! What prompted this change? I mean - not that you didn't - that is to say..."

"Your babbling, Lupin," she said, smiling, and with a slight blush creeping into her cheeks. "Thought I'd try something new."

She let go of Teddy and turned to Mike, who was grinning broadly in a way that Teddy found deeply suspicious.

"Hey, Mike, you brought him back in one piece then?" she said, before giving him a quick hug. Something raged inside Teddy for no real reason at all at seeing her hug him. Teddy was perplexed, 'Merlin, what's got into me?' he thought.

"Yeah, he's nearly all there. May be missing a few brain cells due to binge drinking, but you probably won't notice.. .never was very clever."

Victoire laughed, and it was like music. Teddy mentally kicked himself.

"So let me take a proper look at that tattoo then," Victoire said, and Teddy pulled up his sleeve, showing her the full thing. "Gold and red? You great big geek."

"Go, Go, Gryffindor..." Teddy smiled. "I think I can now actually state that I DO bleed red and gold, if I'm stabbed in the right place. Show her yours Mike, I've got a Galleon on Vic not getting the joke."

Mike laughed and turned round, pulling his shirt down, revealing his Sigma again. "It's a tattoo that sums me up.." He dead panned. Victoire laughed. Mike turned and looked triumphant.

"I like it. Though I believe that did just make my geek-o-meter explode, Williams."

"Ha! You owe me a Galleon, Lupin. Congratulations, Vicky, you're the second person to get the joke without having it explained to them, other than Loops here."

"That is because I excel at Arithmancy," she said airily, trying to look prim but failing, before laughing. "Though I suppose five years of hanging round with you losers has given me a certain appreciation of nerdy jokes."

The opening bars of London Calling by The Clash suddenly played from Mike's thigh and he fumbled around in his pocket, before producing a small black box, sliding it open and starting to speak.

"Hi Mum.." he said, wandering off towards the edge of the garden.

"What was that about?" Victoire asked, looking at Mike, who was apparently talking to his hand. She climbed into the bench and sat on the table-top, feet on the seat.

"Mobile," Teddy said, sitting down next to her, and Victoire made a face that meant she had no idea what he was talking about. "It's a portable telephone, you know, that Muggles use to talk to each other. We got them so we could stay in contact if we lost each other when we were away. I've got one too, look."

Teddy reached into his pocket and produced the slim black mobile phone, pressing the buttons to unlock the keypad. He handed it to Victoire who held it like it was going to explode. Teddy laughed.

"It's not dangerous, you know. It's just like talking in the Floo, except you can't see each other. I actually prefer it now. When you think about it, sticking your head in a fire doesn't really strike you as a tremendously sensible idea." Victoire laughed, and the music returned in Teddy's mind.

"It's clever. Do all Muggles have these things?" She asked, flipping it over and pushing some buttons.

"Most everybody, especially our age. Mike said there's more of these things in Britain than there are people."

"How does it work?" she said, pressing some more buttons, just making numbers appear on the screen.

"Here, I'll show you," Teddy said, reaching to grab the phone, their fingers brushing. His stomach jolted. 'Man up, Lupin, you're nineteen for Merlin s sake,' he thought.

He quickly pressed a series of keys, to take the phone back to the standby screen.

"Wait, slow down," Victoire said, nudging ever closer, to peer at the phone.

"I've not done anything yet, Vic. Right, so what you do is press this, then this, and these are all the people who I can ring. All the telephones in the world have a special number, but it's quite hard to memorise all those numbers for everybody you know, so this is called a phone book. It's where I store all the numbers of the people I know." Teddy began to scroll down the list. He had built quite an impressive contact list over the last year, though the faces of many of the names had faded through the haze of alcohol.

"There's an awful lot of girls on this list, Mr Lupin. I'm a little bit jealous," Victoire said teasingly, her head now almost on Teddy's shoulder. "Did you meet all these people this year?"

"Yeah," Teddy said. His heart was racing, and Victoire's head was now close enough for him to smell her hair again. It smelled very nice. He mentally kicked himself very hard. "To be honest, I can probably only remember about fifteen or twenty or so properly."

"OK.. So how about 'Marie'?" Victoire said, her slim finger pointing at the name on the screen. Of all the people she could have picked, she had to pick Marie.

Teddy's mind involuntarily wandered to the twenty-two year old Scottish girl, her short, spiky, dirty blonde hair, the blue bikini she had been wearing when they'd met on a beach somewhere south of Brisbane, and how said bikini had ended up disregarded on the floor of his tent later that evening.

"Er, nothing to tell really," he said, his cheeks growing hot. "Me and Mike met her, and some of her friends when we were travelling in Australia."

Victoire looked away from the phone and met his eyes, smirking. "Something to hide there, Teddy?" She sat back, looking at him with a serious face, arms crossed and eyebrow raised.

"No, no! Er..." Teddy fought to regain his composure. "She was about your height, blonde. She was twenty-two, just finished uni, that's what Muggles do after school if they're clever enough. Me and Mike tagged along with them as far as Sydney." He hoped that would satisfy Victoire who was looking at him curiously before grinning broadly.

"Teddy Lupin, you dirty dog. She was four years older than you!"

"Am I that obvious?" He sighed, actually slightly relieved he didn't have to come out and say it.

"Teddy, I've known you as long as I can remember. Everything you do is obvious to me," she said, turning away slightly and bumping into him with her shoulder. Teddy nudged her back, slightly harder. ictoire retaliated and soon they were banging into each other with increasing vigour, giggling like 6 year olds.

They were brought to an abrupt halt by a throat being cleared. Teddy looked round, and there stood an individual he identified as Glen Anderson, a Ravenclaw from Victoire's year. He was holding two bottles of Refined Butterbeer in one hand, and a glass of Pumpkin juice in the other. Glen was a few inches shorter than Teddy, perhaps 5'8", but nearly as skinny. He had long brown hair, with streaks of blonde in it and was dressed in fashionable robes.

"I finally escaped your Father!" he said, addressing Victoire, his accent of a refined nature. He turned to Teddy, handing him the two beers. "He asked me to bring you and your friend these."

"Cheers, mush," Teddy said, to even his own surprise.

It wasn't the usual term of address he used, but having spent a year in Mike's company, he had apparently adopted some of his friend's speech tics. Mike, ever the class warrior, always seemed to use this one in particular when someone posh spoke to him.

"Teddy Lupin, right? I only remember you a little bit from school, but Tory is always talking about you. Glen...Glen Anderson, by the way." He stuck his hand out. Teddy put down one of the beers, keeping the other in his hand, jumped off the bench and raised himself to his full height (he didn't know why) before shakingGlen's hand firmly, but politely.

"Nice to meet you," Teddy said, while it was anything but.

Glen turned and handed Victoire her Pumpkin juice and then, in a gesture that made Teddy's grip on his beer bottle tighten, kissed her softly on the cheek. "So, Tory said you've been travelling 'round the world, as a Muggle?" he said, and though he probably hadn't meant it, it came out rather condescending. Teddy was still wondering why he kept referring to Victoire as 'Tory.'

"Yeah, me and Mike over there," he pointed to his friend who was still on the phone. "Went all through Asia, down Australia, up New Zealand, then the California coast, New York and home. It was pretty amazing."

"Sounds pretty brilliant," Glen said. "I can't imagine travelling without magic though."

"The Muggles do pretty well for themselves," Teddy said, somewhat sniffily. "A lot of the technology they have come up with in the last fifty years is way above and beyond things Wizards can do in many cases."

"Really? I can't imagine," Glen replied, sounding like he'd just been told Kneazles could fly.

"You can't, not unless you really lived it. I certainly couldn't. Some Muggle technology is just amazing, to be honest," Teddy said, his voice gaining a hard edge for some reason. "Was probably the greatest and most educational year of my life."

Before Glen could reply, Mike appeared behind him.

"Ah, my dear old Mum, making sure I got back ok, a mere six hours after we landed. Who's this geezer, then?" he said, clapping his hand on Glen's shoulder, gripping it tightly. As Mike was a good 6 inches taller than Glen, and could likely snap the boy in half, his knees buckled a little bit on the impact. Mike also had an outstandingly good memory, and Teddy more than suspected he likely knew full well who he was, but this was just a bit of a power play on his part.

Glen, to his credit, recovered quickly from the blow and introduced himself again.

"Anderson?" Mike said thoughtfully, before turning to Teddy, who nodded, "Tessa Anderson's little brother?"

"Yeah, did you know her?" Teddy bit his tongue to stop from laughing.

"I did indeed! How is Tess these days? I haven't seen her since Hogwarts," Mike said jovially. Teddy mentally added the rest of the sentence in Mike's voice, '..where she was a flithbag who fucking loved it up her.'

Tessa Anderson had been a Slytherin girl in their year, with dark red hair and bright blue eyes. Whilst she was a perfectly lovely person, she was a little rebellious against her Pureblood, upper-class upbringing. This had meant she had shared many, many 'encounters' with Mike, Hogwarts' most Muggle of Muggleborns, and the dictionary definition of Working Class, in various locations round the castle. This was all very hush-hush, and Mike swore it was the secrecy and rebellion that got her off. Whilst not particularly serious, they had been at it since some time in their sixth year, breaking it of amiably before they completed school and moved on with their lives.

"She's working as a clerk at the Department of Magical Law. She works with Tory's Aunt, actually," Glen replied.

"Who the fuck is Tory?" Mike said, with his usual bluntness. Teddy set his expression into one of stony confusion, rather than the laugh he was feeling inside.

"Um, Victoire?" Glen said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Mike's face also took the same stony expression as Teddy's. Glen started to explain. "You see, 'Victoire' means 'Victory' in French, so..."

"Yeah I got it," Mike said, his tone clearly not impressed, and picked his beer up from the table. "You come up with that?"

"Well, we all did, I mean..."

"Vicky, is it OK I never, ever call you Tory?" Mike said, ignoring Glen.

"Vicky is fine," she smiled brightly, evidently trying to lighten the mood. "Don't even say it, Teddy, because I know the next sentence out of your mouth is going to include the phrase 'Vic was my first word,' and I wouldn't have it any other way, even though you are the ONLY one who still calls me that!"

Teddy laughed, before asking the question he'd really been dying to ask since Glen had arrived. "So, are you two together then?" He even managed to say it in a pleasant manner, much to his own surprise.

"Yep. For nearly three months now," Glen said, with great enthusiasm, putting his arm around her shoulders. Something inside Teddy growled.

"We leave for one year Vic, and you're hooking up with boys. I'm going to have to give your brother a talking-to," Teddy smirked.

"Don't you dare, Teddy Lupin!" she said, though still smiling. "Like you said before you left, I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, Vic, plus if Mr. Anderson here is any trouble, I'm sure we can grass him up to his big sister. We do know her after all..."

"Intimately," Mike added. Teddy again had to suppress the urge to laugh, hoping the implication was lost on Glen.

Before either of them could continue with the third degree on Glen, Bill and Charlie Weasley swooped down on the group, Bill grabbing Teddy in a headlock and messing up his hair.

"Oi, gerroff!" Teddy complained, "I'm nineteen years old. Bugger off, Bill!"

"Is that any way to speak to your elders, Teddy?" Bill said, before releasing him. "Nice to see you back, mate."

"You too, Bill," Teddy said, straightening himself out and giving the man a proper handshake.

"I'd love to stay and chat about your trip, but the rest of her uncles REALLY want to meet Victoire's boyfriend." He said the last word with just a twinge of distaste, before adding, "Especially Ron and Harry. You've heard of them I imagine, Glen? The Aurors, defeaters of Voldemort, that sort of thing."

"Yes, sir," Glen said politely, though Teddy did notice the large gulp in his throat.

"Shut up, Dad. Come on," Victoire said, grabbing his hand. "They're both big softies really, don't be frightened."

They both retreated back to the house. Teddy's eyes lingered on Victoire's legs and curves slightly longer than was perhaps appropriate, given that he was stood less than two feet from her Dad.

"I have to say, if I ever manage to reproduce and my daughter brings home a boyfriend for the first time, I want it to go somewhat like that. I think he just shit his pants," Mike said, breaking the silence. There was a collective laugh.

"Well, I didn't just set that little meeting up so I could stand here and miss it. Ron and Harry have apparently got a whole good Auror, bad Auror routine worked out," Bill said, also making his way toward the house.

Teddy, Mike and Charlie all stood sipping their beers in contemplative silence for a moment before Charlie spoke.

"You boys know that kid then?" He said, obviously wanting an independent opinion.

"Little bit. He's alright, I guess," Teddy said, trying not to diss Victoire's boyfriend to her Uncle, it would be a bit rude,\ "Bit posh, Pureblood family. Think he's a Chaser in the Ravenclaw Quidditch team."

"I don't like him," Charlie said, glaring at the doorway.

"Was there any chance you were going to like any bloke Vic brought home?" Teddy asked, a slight note of laughter in his voice.

"Probably not," Charlie replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"If it's any consolation then," Teddy said, in a very serious voice. "Mike has totally shagged his sister."

Charlie roared with laughter, before clapping them both on the shoulder.

* * *

Somewhat later in the evening, the family plus Teddy, Andromeda, Mike and Glen had squeezed into the house as the Charms began to wear off in the garden and rain was beginning to break through the magical barrier.

Teddy had found himself sat with Harry and Ron, very pointedly not looking at where Victoire was sat holding hands and occasionally kissing Glen, which filled him with an almost uncontrollable urge to hex his stupid face off. Mike was taking part in a very animated discussion with George Weasley about marketing certain Muggle products to the Wizarding world, though Teddy suspected this increased animation was due to the several beers Mike had consumed.

"So, what's the plan now you're back, Teddy?" Ron said, "Fancy following me and Harry into the Aurors? I heard you've got the grades for it."

"Not really sure, I mean, I'm only nineteen and I've not really decided on a career path. Me and Mike did have this crazy idea when were off travelling, but we're not sure if it'd work. I think that's what he's talking to George about."

"What was it? I'm sure it wasn't as crazy as dropping out of school to run a joke shop," said Harry.

"Well, I probably told you this when we were planning our round-the-world Muggle adventure, but Mike is obsessed with this idea of bringing the best of Muggle inventions to the Wizarding world. I mean, take this mobile phone," Teddy said, pulling out his phone again. "I can contact and be contacted by anyone in the world if I know the number, pretty much anywhere. It's far more convenient than a fireplace, and whilst talking Patronii are alright for short messages, you wouldn't want to have a conversation with them."

Ron smiled, "I had a bit of a run-in with telephones back when me and Harry were in school. Hermione has one of those to talk to her parents though. Seems like a good idea to me."

"Any others up your sleeve?" Harry asked, scratching his chin looking at the phone.

"Well, Mike thinks it's lame, but I used to really enjoy the board games he brought in his first and second years, stuff like Monopoly and Cluedo. I think if we adapted them a bit, maybe add a couple of charms, it would really work."

"As a former employee of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, I can imagine there is a market out there for those games. Just don't make a Wizarding version of Trivial Pursuit. At least I've got an excuse for being crap at the Muggle one I'm forced to play with the Grangers." Ron said, shaking his head.

"So what's the problem? Seems to me there's plenty of Muggle stuff out there which is waiting for some enterprising Wizards to adapt to the market." Harry said, "I mean, if it's the money..."

"No, it's not that," Teddy said, cutting his godfather off. "Neither me nor Mike have a clue when it comes to business is the first stumbling block. We're both creative with magic, but I'm not sure if he's really serious about it, and I don't think my handle on the Muggle world is quite good enough to go it alone."

"Why don't you think Mike will go for it?" Harry asked. "He seems to be talking about it enthusiastically with George right now."

"His family mostly, they're all in the Muggle army pretty much. His Dad has retired now and works for the railway or something, but one of his brothers is a combat engineer and the other flies something called an Apache, it's a type of helicopter, apparently. Guess he thinks his place is doing the Wizarding equivalent, so you can probably expect his application any week now." Ron and Harry looked at one another, but said nothing. Teddy sighed. "I guess I think we're onto something, but despite all the obnoxious arrogance, Mike still thinks his Dad will be disappointed if he's not doing something about keeping Britain safe."

They fell into a contemplative silence, before Ron Weasley snapped his fingers with a huge grin on his face.

"Research and Development!" he said, to the utter confusion of Teddy and apparently Harry.

"You what?" his godfather said, looking his best friend like he'd gone barmy.

"Research and Development, Harry. You remember those shield hats the Twins made in the war, what about making that a sideline? Adapting Muggle gadgets for the use of the Aurors and Hit-Wizards. Keeps the whole defence sideline up, doesn't it?"

"Actually," Teddy said, grinning broadly, "not only is that a brilliant idea, but I think we might have already invented something that you can use. Oi! Mike!" Mike spun round from his conversation with George, cocking his head. "Have you still got Gladys?"

"Er yeah, why?"

"Can you summon it? I want to show Harry and Ron."

"Bit far away mate, give me a second."

Mike Disapparated, and appeared with a pop again several minutes later. He threw Teddy a funny shaped plastic device.

"Is that what I think it is?" Harry said, pointing at Gladys, "A BB Gun?"

"Yeah, but this one is special. Come on, I'll show you," Teddy said, heading out into the garden with Harry and Ron.

"Why do you call it Gladys?" Ron said, eyeing the toy gun suspiciously.

"There's a character called Marv in a comic book called Sin City who has a gun called Gladys. We thought it was funny."

"Right..." said Ron, who just looked perplexed. "So what does it do?"

"Mike's brother bought it for him when he was starting his 5th year, and he was forever shooting the stupid little plastic balls at me. It's quite a powerful gun, so it stings like an absolute bastard if it gets you," Teddy explained. "So one day I nicked it off him, and I enchanted a couple of the BBs with the Rictumsepra hex and shot him with them, so not only did he get a sore arm, he was laughing on the floor. We used to put all sorts of stupid hexes on the balls."

"I think I see where you're going with this," said Harry, as they reached the garden. "If it works properly, of course."

Teddy released the magazine and looked at the BBs in the top. "We colour-coded them so we knew what they did. Looks like it's the body-bind pellets in there at the moment." He cocked the gun.

"How do you not get cursed when you touch them?" Ron asked, clearly picking up on a flaw.

"Well, we did to start off with, but we actually worked out this tricky charm that only released the curses if it hit something at speed."

"Clever. I like it."

"Want to see it in action?" Teddy said. "Ron, if you don't mind...just back up a bit."

Ron Weasley backed up about twenty-five metres and Teddy took aim. He squeezed the trigger and less than a second later, Ron fell to the floor in a Full-Body Bind. Harry laughed and pulled out his wand to release his friend.

"I'm impressed. You think you could enchant the BBs with a Stupefy?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, we had a go, but after Mike got a bollocking from Professor Longbottom about stunning other students, we thought the better for it. I mean, technically, you can enchant it with any Curse you like." Teddy said, thinking, "and I do mean any, but we've obviously not tried that one."

"If I wanted to do that, Teddy, I'd just use a regular gun," Harry said pointedly, taking the toy gun off him. "But Stupefy, I think we could use. What do you reckon Ron?"

"Bloody brilliant. If you got disarmed in a fight, it'd be great to have one of these things full of Stunners to unleash. Won't be expecting that at all."

"Tell you what. You and Mike bring it into Auror headquarters in a week or so and we'll talk about it proper. Think of any improvements you can make too. We'll probably be able to sell this to the head of MLES." He handed Gladys back to Teddy.

"Cheers, Harry," Teddy said, feeling quite proud of impressing his godfather.

They started to make their way inside, Teddy leading the way, and although the sun was now setting he could still see perfectly clearly something he wished he could immediately erase from his mind. Just outside the back door, pressed against the wall of the house, was Victoire, engaged in a rather enthusiastic snog with Glen. The roar in Teddy's chest overpowered his sense and almost without thinking he raised Gladys and shot Glen in the back.

There was a moment of confusion from Victoire as her boyfriend apparently went rigid and then, in an almost comedic manner, toppled backwards into a flower bed. There was a sniggering from behind him which he knew immediately was coming from Ron. Victoire looked confused for a moment, then spotted Teddy, Gladys in hand and her face became very hard. Her wand was out in an instant, and a curse that had the dark green colour of the Bat-Bogey Hex flew directly toward Teddy, who dived out of the way.

"_Expelliarmus_!" Harry said, and Victoire's wand flew from her hand. He then released Glen from the Body-Bind. WThe young wizard stood up, somewhat red in the face and dusted himself down.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Teddy!" Victoire said, less than impressed with Teddy for cursing her boyfriend. "I know that was you and your stupid curse gun."

"Finger slipped," Teddy said, his face a picture of innocence. Victoire thumped him hard on the shoulder.

"Liar. Don't do it again," she said, eyes narrowing dangerously, before stomping off back towards Glen.

Ron was still chuckling to himself, but as he passed Glen his face became hard and he gave him the sort of look Teddy suspected made wannabe Dark Wizards wet themselves. The look of sheer panic that overcame the Ravenclaw boy made Teddy's night.

As the three of them made their way back into the house, Ron patted him on the shoulder, before turning to Harry and saying cryptically.

"Well, at least he didn't conjure birds, they bloody hurt." Both of the older men laughed heartily.

Teddy was confused as to what that remark meant.


	3. Teddy's Dilemma

**Chapter 2 - Teddy's Dilemma**

After telling Mike what Harry had said about Gladys, Teddy's friend was filled with a new enthusiasm for their project. Mike Apparated back to his parents house and collected two much larger guns which belonged to his brother, who apparently used to play something called Airsoft at university before joining the Army proper.

Real guns were not part of Wizarding society, or as far as Teddy knew, Muggle society in Britain either, knowing from Muggle Studies and listening to Mike that in general the Muggle Police did not use the devices. Mike, who himself had grown up surrounded by people who had first hand knowledge of firearms, identified one gun as an M16 assault rifle, and the other as some sort of sniper rifle. He explained, at some length, their capabilities to Teddy, who felt like he was at boot camp.

They set about charming a large collection of BBs, and Teddy figured out a method of enchanting more than one at once, which saved some time as the M16 could hold over 200 of the little things. Mike had the idea to add some charms to the gun barrels so the pellets would be more accurate when they were fired.

Teddy attempted the Gemino charm on Gladys, and it had actually worked. He had not been so successful with the larger guns however, making copies that misfired and one version of the sniper rifle that fell apart. Mike thought this was because they were slightly more complicated, though he did helpfully add "or you're still shit at Charms!"

They set about testing the guns by staging a mini-battle in the back garden, Teddy with the M16 and Mike with the sniper rifle. Teddy soon argued that they should swap, as Mike's Disillusionment charm was good enough to make him virtually invisible, allowing him to pick Teddy off at a distance without a clue where he was.

Somewhat dirty, and bearing a few welts where the pellets had hit their bare skin, the two boys returned to the house for some dinner. Andromeda, who despite being raised in a Pureblood family, hid an impressive knowledge about the Muggle world she had developed through her Muggle-born late husband, Teddy's namesake. She deemed the idea of taking Muggle gadgets and adapting them for Wizards to be a grand idea, and asked if there was any way either of them could fix the charms on an old record player she had hidden away. Mike, who's speciality was electrical gadgets, prodded it with his wand and muttered to himself for several minutes, before placing a dusty version of Abbey Road on the turntable. John Lennon's vocals to 'Come Together' were soon bursting out, and Andromeda smiled brightly before pulling out some gold and telling them to treat themselves to a night out on her.

Teddy tried to refuse but Andromeda told her grandson that if he didn't take it, she would hex the money to float after him and bash into his head until he put it in his pocket, so he relented.

* * *

"Where do you want to go?" Teddy asked, pulling on a stripy black and red v-neck jumper. He firmly believed he would try to avoid wearing robes ever again. Mike looked thoughtful for a moment, then broke into a dangerous smile. Teddy knew this smile and knew it would end with him face down in a gutter somewhere.

"Diagon Alley, we change up that gold for some cash, then we Apparate to my parents house in Reading. I think you're ready to actually go out to a Muggle pub in Britain."

"Mr Williams, I like you style," said Teddy, who had been to Mike's house before, but had never actually been out and about in his home town.

With a pop, they appeared in Diagon Alley, just outside Gringotts. The two young men went into the bank, now very much renovated from his godfather and his friends rather impressive escapades there during the war. They exchanged Andromeda's gold, and some of their own, and then both Disapparated, appearing again outside of the small semi-detached house where Mike and his parents lived.

Mike unlocked the front door and the two boys went inside. Mike's house was pleasant enough, though as neither his parents nor his brothers (when they were home) were magical, it was very Muggle. His friend disappeared into the kitchen and told him to make himself at home. Teddy became intrigued by a picture frame which he had at first assumed Mike had charmed to change picture magically, until he realised it was plugged into the wall.

"Clever that, innit?" Mike said, appearing from behind him, two beers in hand. "Muggles have stopped using film in their cameras now, all done digitally. This is like a little screen that shows the digital pictures." He handed Teddy his drink.

"We really need to get a computer working in a magical environment. Well, you do. I've got no idea where to start."

"I think now we're out of Hogwarts we might have a bit more luck. The environment there was just too magical to get complicated stuff like that working. I'll have another crack over the summer, I think."

"You'll have to let me have a go on the one you've got here again, so I know what I'm doing if we do get it working," Teddy said. "Plus, I want to see this internet you kept banging on about."  
Mike laughed, chucking his jacket on the sofa. Teddy had learnt that apparently (even without the ability to perform warming charms) Muggles didn't wear coats on nights out.

"Right, lets make these train beers. Come on."

Teddy slung his coat on the sofa and slid his wand into the small pocket on his jeans, which apparently had no use whatsoever until he had magically expanded it to store his wand. They left the house. The night was actually remarkably warm, and Mike led him down the street, through an alley way, across another road, until they reached a small station and awaited the arrival of the train. Ten minutes later, they were in the centre of town and Teddy was following his friend through the streets of Reading, walking past several pubs which Mike pointed out to him were either 'shit', 'full of pikeys' or 'expensive', which meant they were not acceptable.

After a little bit of a walk they finally arrived at a quirky looking bar, which Mike proclaimed not only had cheap beer and an excellent jukebox, but would later be, as he so delicately put it, 'full of fanny'. Shortly after entering, they managed to bag a table, partly through some considerable luck, though mostly due to Mike elbowing a bloke out of the way. He hopped up onto a stool and pulled a ten-pound note from his wallet.

"I'm buying, you're flying, shithead. Get me a Carling," he said, leaning back in his chair and surveying the scene.

Teddy called him something rude in return and headed toward the bar. Though the pub wasn't exactly rammed, it was bustling with people, and it took several minutes for Teddy to get served and return to their table with two pints.

"Thought you'd absconded with my money, then," Mike said, taking a sip of his pint whilst Teddy handed him his change.

"Interesting place," Teddy said, admiring the table for the first time. It had a chessboard painted on it, along with a realistic looking wallet, some change and a particularly authentic railway ticket. He gestured at it. "Bet that stitches a few people up when they're pissed."

"Yes mate, when my brother brought me in here at Christmas a couple of years ago, I may have fallen for it after a couple too many Jagerbombs."

"Understandable," Teddy laughed, taking a sip of his own drink.

Mike looked thoughtful for a moment, took another sip of his drink before leaning forward and resting his elbow onto the table.

"So," he said slowly, before smirking, "Victoire looked nice the other day."

"Oh, fuck off, Mike," Teddy said, somewhat affronted. His friend just laughed.

"Mate, you couldn't keep your eyes off her. You couldn't have been more bloody obvious if you'd had a large flashing sign above your head." Teddy remained silent, taking a big gulp of his beer, so Mike continued. "Look, it's understandable, she's a very, very good looking girl, you've just been too thick to notice it! Perhaps this was the wake-up call you needed. Now the real question is, what are you going to do about it?"

"You appear to have jumped over the part where I actually say there is anything to do anything about," Teddy retorted.

Mike gave him a pointed look. "Stop being a bell-end." He said, shaking his head. "Anyway, I happen to know that as of Friday, which is two days away, that idiot Glen is off on his jolly holidays to wherever it is Wizards go on holiday. For two weeks."

"And?" Teddy said, not following.

"Well, a lot can happen in two weeks can't it? Two very old friends may reconnect in a completely different manner. Wanker boyfriends may be forgotten about. A Metamorphamagus may get to nail a part-Veela. Things like that."

"Seems a little underhanded," Teddy grumbled.

Mike's smirk grew. Taking another swig of his beer, he said, "All I'm saying, is that without fuckface around, you two should hang out a bit. Talk about our travels, get her to help with some ideas for our product line, anything at all. Just sow some seeds mate, lay in a bit of groundwork."

"You talk utter shit sometimes, sow some bloody seeds, my arse! What makes you think she's even interested?"

"Look mate, I hate to shatter your delusions here, but everybody knows Vicky has had a bit of a thing for you for years, you just chose to ignore it."

"Now I know you're talking bollocks," Teddy said, as if this was the end of the matter.

"Right, here we go then," Mike said, setting his beer down with more force than needed. "Third year, when you gave her that scarf for Christmas, she didn't take it off until it was like, May."

"It's cold in Scotland in May! Plus, she was in first year," Teddy said, "I very much doubt she'd stopped thinking boys were icky at that point."

"Think what you want. So how about fifth year when you went to Hogsmeade with Jenny whatsherface? She didn't talk to you for a week."

"That was because I blew her off to go on that date!" Teddy said.

Mike was looking at him sceptically. "Right, and this one is more of an overarching theme. How come all of your girlfriends hate her?"

"They don't? I know Danni wasn't too keen, but they didn't exact--" Teddy started but was cut off.

"Christ, you are blind Lupin. They hated her, all of them, every single bloody one, because not only is she a lot prettier, smarter and more fun than any of them, you two have this 'thing' with each other." He then added for good measure, "AND they can tell when another girl fancies their boyfriend!"

Teddy said nothing and lent back in his chair. Maybe Vic had fancied him for a bit, but it didn't really mean a lot now she had a boyfriend. Though, his mind wandering to his godparents, wasn't this somewhat similar to how Harry and Ginny had been before they had got together? He shook his head and drained the remainder of his pint. It was a stupid thing to even contemplate, him and Victoire being together like that, they were just very good friends.

"Your shout, dickless," Mike said, rattling his empty glass on the table and pointing to the bar.

"I went last time!" Teddy complained, but rolled his eyes as Mike was clearly not going to move. "Fine, you lazy shit."

Teddy went to the bar again, this time noticing that the pub was beginning to fill up with people. As predicted by Mike, there were a great deal of attractive girls in here tonight. 'Not as attractive as Victoire though,' said a little voice in his head, which he mentally told to go forth and fornicate.

Mike did not broach the subject of Victoire again, so they sat there, drinking their beers and chatting about what other things they could transfer to the Aurors from the Muggle police and army. Helmets and body armour charmed with Protego were thrown about, along with personal radios, proper handcuffs and flash-bang grenades. Night-vision, using modified Omnioculars was considered a good idea.

"..so what I'm thinking is we pinch some of my brothers' old fatigues and see about getting some old riot helmets from somewhere and go into..." Mike stopped mid-sentence, staring open-mouthed at something to his left.

"What?" Teddy said, looking round, trying to work out what his friend was looking at. Mike stood up and walked toward a tall, slim girl with jet black hair which was cut into a short pixie style, and tapped her on the shoulder.

She turned and looked at him, her face wrinkling in thought, then with almost unnatural speed she flung herself on him, pretty much squealing "Ohmigod!" into his chest. Mike just laughed.

"Hey Chloe," he said, Teddy just about able to hear. "Long time no see!"

"Where the hell have you been for, what, the last eight years Williams?" she said, releasing him from her grip, a broad grin on her face. "We're about to move up to Secondary School and next thing you know, your parents had whisked you off to some boarding school somewhere, and I don't see head nor hair of you until eight years later and we're stood in the middle of the Pavlov's fucking Dog. What the hell was up with that?"

"Er, long story. Might take a minute actually," Mike said, and gave Teddy a significant look. Their cover story was well practised after a year abroad, but it was one thing to pull it off to people who didn't know you, to those who did. "Hey, you wanna sit down? I'm over there with my mate." He gestured in Teddy's direction.

"Of course, you've got to tell me everything.. Let me just speak to my friends here first. That your friend in the stripy jumper?" Teddy waved and smiled. Mike patted the girl on the arm and she turned back to her other friends. Mike sat down quickly and leant in conspiratorially.

"Right, you know the drill on this, but you might have to follow my lead on some things," he said. "She's not exactly some randomer we've met in a San Diego bar."

"No worries. So, who is that exactly?" Teddy said, eyes flicking the girl who was chatting to her friends and pointing in their direction excitedly.

"That, dear Teddy, is Chloe Davies. Me and her were friends from the first day of primary school until the day I left for Hogwarts; and I haven't seen her since. Technically, you're her replacement."

"Fucking charming," Teddy said, with a laugh, "How have you not seen her since? You come back every summer!"

"No mate. Too many awkward questions, it's part of the policy on Muggle-borns at Hogwarts. Why do you think we stayed in the house all the time you were here in Reading over the summer?" Teddy contemplated this, it had struck him as a bit odd how they had always stayed in the house, but all Mike's Muggle gadgets had kept him plenty entertained.

"So what, you weren't allowed to leave the house?" Teddy asked.

"It was heavily implied I should try and cut my connections to the Muggle world other than my family whilst at school to avoid 'complications,'" Mike said, somewhat bitterly.

"You're not gonna blow the International Stature on Secrecy tonight after a few beers are you?" Teddy said, looking at Mike seriously. "I don't fancy having to call Harry to get your old mate here Obliviated."

"Nah, no worries, mate. Eyes front, here she comes."

Chloe Davies approached again, and Teddy got his first proper look at her. She had high cheek bones and very white skin, which with her short black hair made her heavily eye-lined blue eyes stand out even more. She was wearing a black halter neck top with gold sequins on the front, and a pair of shorts, with some sparkly flat shoes, which showed off a very impressive pair of legs. She was smiling brightly as she approached.

"Hey again." Mike said, "This is my mate Teddy from school. Teddy, Chloe; Chloe, Teddy." She smiled at him and he gave a small wave as she sat down on the stool next to Mike.

"Nice to meet you," Teddy said.

"You too," she replied, before turning to Mike. "So then, Mikey Mike, want to tell me what you've been up to?"

"Well, to cut a long story short, some old Army buddy of my Dad's managed to get me a place at this posh boarding school in Scotland. Thus I went. They have funny terms so I'm never actually here during the time when normal kids are enjoying their holiday except maybe a few days over Christmas. That's about it," Mike finished, this part of the story also well practised from years of telling it to relatives.

"It was like you disappeared, Mike. I did worry," Chloe said, with genuine concern. "So Teddy, you went to school with Mike? Were your parents in the Army too?"

"Yeah," Teddy replied. Though technically not true, the Aurors were the closest Wizarding equivalent, and they had fought in the War. "They both were for a time. I got a special scholarship."

"Did they mysteriously whisk you off from your friends aged eleven too?" She asked, looking at Mike incredulously. Teddy hated lying about this question.

"No, er, they died when I was really little. Car crash." He said bluntly. Chloe's face fell. "I was brought up by my Gran and godfather, he's in the Army too, quite senior."

"Oh, I'm really sorry. Don't I feel like an idiot. So, school..." She frowned, then smiled, with a clear intent to change the subject to happier things. "How did your A-Levels go? I bet you got straight A's Michael, you always were a clever clogs."

Mike had explained A-Levels to Teddy before they left, as they were bound to come up in conversation. They were basically the Muggle equivalent of NEWTs apparently, except in subjects like Maths and English instead of Defence Against the Dark Arts and Potions. They had decided to pretend to have done the same subjects so Mike could cover Teddy if someone questioned a bit deeper into the topic.

"Heh, 5 A's" Mike said with a smug grin. He was very proud of his 5 'Outstanding' grades he'd achieved. "What did you get Ted? 4 A's and B wasn't it?"

"Sod off, you know that poxy maths exam was rigged. Two marks dammit!" Teddy said. Though very proud his grades, those two marks in Arithmancy which separated him from an Outstanding were probably going to haunt him for the rest of his days.

"Christ almighty. That must have been some hell of a school." Chloe said, clearly impressed. "I'm guessing you're both at uni now then?"

"Been on a gap year for the last year, so we've not had chance to apply. Next year," Mike said. "How about you though? You at uni?"

"Yeah.."

Chloe told Teddy and Mike all about her degree; she was studying Law at the University of Cardiff, which she described as excellent, and just far enough away from Reading that it was too far for her parents to pop in for a visit on a whim, but also close enough that it wasn't a pain to go home. It did however, she proclaimed, mean that she had started to pick up a couple of phrases from the South Wales lingo, and had been known to occasionally say "Where you too?" and "Butt" instead of "Where are you?" and "Mate".

Chloe and Mike talked about an assortment of things over several drinks, and Teddy was feeling increasingly left out. There was a definite spark between Mike and Chloe, and Teddy had noticed that they had been working from 'old friends bumping into each other and chatting' through 'old friends clearly flirting with each other' and were now distinctly looking like 'old friends making goo-goo eyes at each other,' leaving Teddy as a proper third wheel.

Eventually, he was rescued by Chloe's friends, telling them that they were going onto a nightclub round the corner, and they were welcome to join, looking pointedly at Teddy. Fuelled by seven pints of Carling at this point, he leapt up somewhat ungraciously and began to speak enthusiastically with some of the group.

Teddy made a point of getting to know the three girls, Aimee, Sara and Katie, and stuck with them as they left the pub. They were collectively rolling their eyes at Chloe, who was walking along the street holding Mike's hand, talking away as if there was nobody else in the world. They entered the club and headed straight for the bar, whilst Mike had peeled off with Chloe at some point headed for the dance floor. Teddy ended up doing shots on the bar with Chloe's friends and was soon dancing away with the group of them. They were very friendly, but Teddy found himself somewhat put out by Mike's abandonment, and found increasing excuses to visit the bar. Soon, the floor began to wobble beneath his feet, and he plopped down into a booth away from the racket of the music.

Pulling out his mobile, Teddy looked at it sadly, flipping it open and working his way down his phone book. He got to 'Tessa G' and then it immediately skipped a couple of letters going straight to 'Wanky Jeff', a fat, loud mouthed Geordie with an unfortunate nickname they'd met in Malaysia. He drunkenly wished there was an entry in the 'V' section for Victoire. Mind addled with too many drinks, Teddy considered their relationship.

It was true, Victoire was very, very pretty. Beautiful even. She was fun to be around, and made him laugh, plus she got his jokes. He missed her massively when she wasn't there, and that feeling he'd felt when he'd seen her the other night, she made his heart soar. Teddy knew that this were not the sorts of feelings you had for a platonic friend, and he was beginning to acknowledge that he maybe felt a little bit more, a lot more in fact. In a moment of drunken clarity, it became blatantly clear that he was madly in love with her.

A glass of water was plonked down on the table in front of him and he found one of Chloe's friends, Aimee, a short brunette looking at him with a funny expression.

"Drink." She said, pointing at the water. Phone still in hand he managed to manoeuvre the glass to his lips. "Consider this an intervention before you send a drunken text to some girl you fancy."

"Can't. She hasn't got a phone," Teddy said, still looking at his phone sadly.

Aimee sighed. She took Teddy's phone from his hand, closed it and locked the keys, handing it back to him, smiling. "What's her name?"

"Victoire."

"That's a cool name, is she French?" she asked. Teddy had the distinct impression she was humouring him and attempted to perk up a bit.

"No, her Mum is though," he said, before adding. "She's got a boyfriend anyway."

"Plenty more fish in the sea, Teddy."

"Not like this there aren't," He mumbled, somewhat bitterly.

Aimee lifted his chin, from where he was looking at his lap to meet her eyes. "Tell me, it might help."

And Teddy did. In a long, drunken, uninterrupted ramble, he told her how after his parents had died, he'd been jointly raised by his Grandmother and his godfather Harry, also an orphan (she didn't ask how thankfully), who had been all but adopted himself by Molly Weasley and her family. How Harry had married her daughter Ginny, and Ginny's brother Bill had married a beautiful French woman called Fleur, and how he'd been friends since birth with their daughter, Victore. How Vic had been his first word, how they'd played together forever and got along since childhood, how they'd gone to school together, and how close they were. Finally, he spoke of the kiss they'd shared before he'd left and of how he'd come back and seen her like never before. And how she had that stupid boyfriend, Glen.

"Well, that is one hell of a story," Aimee said. "And eternally more complicated than I'd imagined. I thought this was just gonna be about some girl who works in the chip shop or something."

Teddy laughed, he was speaking more fluidly now, having been sat down for a bit and drunk his water. "Yeah, sorry for unloading all that on you. I've just been coming round to the concept myself! I mean, what the hell do you do in a situation like this?"

"Look, from everything you've told me, you probably don't really need to do a lot. I mean, look at those two..." She gestured toward the bar, where, leant against a wall, Mike and Chloe were kissing deeply. Her hands placed round his neck and his stroking her lower back. "And they hadn't even seen each other for eight years! She told me all about him when we started Secondary school actually, and for the longest time I thought she'd made him up, but they were always inseparable when they were little. Guess you just need a little nudge sometimes."

"Or ten pints," Teddy laughed. "Though there is the eternal boyfriend question."

"Fuck her boyfriend," Aimee said, and Teddy was quite surprised when it left her mouth. "You think that he can compete with all that history, all those years of muddled, mixed up feelings? Sometimes you gotta draw battle lines, Teddy."

"Yeah but..."

"No buts," she said finally. "Look, they've been going out for what, three months nearly? Compared to the better part of eighteen years of time together, that's nothing. You just need to spend some time with her, alone time, now you know things are changing between you, and gauge her feelings towards you. Drop some hints, that kinda thing. You've clearly got it pretty bad for her and I highly doubt it could have got this way if it wasn't mutual. Maybe you just need to nudge things up to the next level a bit."

"He is going away for two weeks..." Teddy said thoughtfully. Though the alcohol may have been playing with his mind a little bit, this did not entirely sound like a bad idea.

"Perfect. You gotta fight for it Teddy, but make it a subtle war. Show her you're not only interested, but much better for her than whatshisface. He'll catch on pretty fast when he's back, so you need to be ready for that too."

Teddy thought about this for a moment, and Aimee hopped up in the silence, "Come on, one last dance and we'll get a taxi home before those two start shagging against that wall.." She gestured at Chloe and Mike who were still kissing deeply.


	4. Teddy's Visit

**Chapter 3 - Teddy's Visit**

As he was awoken by the smell of cooking bacon and bright sunlight, Teddy's thought process the following morning went along these lines in a very rapid order:

_Where the hell am I?_ - He quickly realised he was on the sofa in Mike's parent's living room.

_How did I get home?_ - He remembered his conversation with Aimee, and dancing for a bit, then there was that beer he'd had for a nightcap and a very blurry taxi ride home after a visit to a late-night takeaway. He didn't remember much after that.

_Why does my face hurt?_ - Given that final beer had been the last in a very long line on a heavy night out, he was fairly certain of the answer to this question.

Teddy groaned and attempted to pull the blanket covering him over his head, but it caught on something and found himself falling to a heap on the living room carpet. He couldn't help but notice at this point that, barring his shoes, he was still fully dressed. Deciding that he was perfectly comfortable like this, he shut his eyes and hugged the blanket, willing himself to go back to sleep. He felt something distinctly toast-like bounce off the side of his head.

"Morning sunshine!" Mike said, his voice coming from the direction of the kitchen. Teddy rolled over, burying his face in the sheets.

He mumbled into the blanket something that came out sounding like, "fckof!"

"That's not a polite way to greet someone who's making the coffee and bacon butties this morning is it? Don't make me dump a glass of water on your head."

"Fine," Teddy said, standing up quickly and suddenly realising that may have been a bad idea as the room spun slightly. "This better be a bacon sandwich worthy of Merlin himself."

Mike, who clearly had hardly slept, pulled a funny face at him. He was obviously trying to convey a meaning Teddy didn't have the inclination to understand, before turning back into the kitchen.

Teddy felt around in his jeans to find his wand to perform a Head Clearing charm on himself, and perhaps freshen himself up a bit. He strongly suspected he smelt of stale beer. A quick flick later and he was feeling much better, he also used a Cleaning Charm on his jeans and top, which seemed to be covered in what he suspected was kebab, and a Mouth-Freshening Charm as it felt like something quite horrid had died in there.

Whilst magic could not eliminate a hangover in it's entirety, it certainly could help.

Teddy ambled into the kitchen and stopped dead in the doorway, quickly hiding his wand behind his back, as the meaning of Mike's significant look after he'd said 'Merlin' becoming oh-so-very clear. Leaning against the counter top eating a bacon sandwich, short black hair a mess and dressed in very oversized Holyhead Harpies t-shirt and not much else, was Chloe Davies.

"Morning, Teddy, how you feeling this morning?" she asked, smiling politely. Teddy did notice there was a slight flush to her cheeks, perhaps a little embarrassed about her state of dress. "Mike said you looked liked like shit when he woke you up, but you look alright to me."

"Er, yeah, I felt better when I got out of bed and had a stretch," he said, trying to think of a way to hide his wand, now in his left hand, hidden behind the doorway he was lent against. He suspected he'd probably not be able to explain away his sudden lack of hangover any better than that. "Excuse me, I've just got to use the bog."

Teddy left the kitchen and headed into the downstairs toilet, stashing his wand in the magically expanded pocket quickly, waited a moment, and then flushed it unnecessarily before returning to the kitchen. Teddy smiled innocently and plopped himself down on one of the chairs around a beaten up dining room table. Mike was looking at him suspiciously from where he was manually frying bacon, evidently realising Teddy was a bit unnaturally clean and sober looking, considering he'd just got up.

Chloe brought his coffee over, and then sat down at the table herself. Teddy was wondering what the hell Mike was thinking giving her that particular t-shirt. He was glad the enchantments that showed the Harpy claw flexing and a small female Quidditch player zooming around had apparently worn off.

"Cool isn't it?" she said, looking down at the shirt. Teddy realised he was staring. "Mike couldn't remember where he got it."

"Yeah that's interesting, I've not seen one like that before." He lied, knowing full well where Mike had got it, as he personally owned several.

"I'm guessing its one of his brother's friends, from a stag-do or something, look." She said, turning round, where it had 'POTTER 3' on the back. She looked at Teddy's top. "Did you clean your jumper last night? You managed to get half your kebab in your mouth, and the rest all down yourself."

"Er, yeah, I did I think," Teddy said, thinking on his feet, before smiling. "Must have been sleep cleaning!"

Chloe laughed just as Mike appeared with a plate full of bacon, a loaf of bread and some butter. He sat himself down next to Chloe, giving Teddy a glowering look.

"So, what are your plans for today?" she said, looking between the two of them.

"I was personally thinking of staying in. Once I've booted this drunken idiot out anyway," Mike said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. Chloe blushed and swatted him on the arm.

"Actually," said Teddy, "I do have to get back at some point, make sure Gran is OK and that. Plus I've got to work on that _thing._"

"Oh yeah, when are we meeting Harry again?"

"Next week at some point, mate."

"Are you two being intentionally cryptic?" Chloe said, looking between them.

"Yes, dear," Mike said, then tapping his nose. "Top secret stuff."

Chloe rolled her eyes, before stating sarcastically, "Eight years it took for me to find you again, and you're off keeping secrets already. I'm not sure this is going to work out, Williams."

"But I'm so devilishly handsome!" he retorted with a wide grin. Chloe giggled and Teddy felt a bit sick, which he wasn't sure was from the drink.

He ate the rest of his bacon in silence, sipping his coffee and trying to ignore Mike and Chloe who were unashamedly flirting with each other. Teddy didn't believe in love at first sight, but he was starting to come round on the concept of love at _second_ sight, as his friend had a very sappy look plastered over his face.

"Right," he said, pushing his chair back from the table with a scrape. "I'm gonna dash home, I think. Check on Gran, perhaps see Harry and the kids and then head round and see Victoire probably. Think I should probably apologise for cur...shooting her boyfriend with that BB gun the other day."

"Alright mate," Mike said, eyes still fixed on Chloe, before realising what he was doing. "I'll show you out."

Teddy collected his coat from where it had been thrown on an armchair the night before and headed into the hallway. Pulling out his wand, he cast a Muffliato charm.

"Mate...Mate! What the fuck!" Teddy said, his voice an urgent whisper. "A bloody Harpies t-shirt! What the hell were you thinking?"

"It's fine mate, the charms have worn off," Mike said, nonchalant.

"So? She's a Muggle, mate. You're gonna have to come clean at what exactly you've been doing for the last eight years at some point. I mean, I only met the girl last night but it's fairly evident she's not stupid, and you're not one to spend the night with a girl then just ditch her. I don't think she's gonna buy the special scholarship in Scotland bollocks for too long."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I..." Mike looked around, and his shoulders sagged. "I'll think of something. Maybe I'll send an Owl to Harry or something, find out what the procedure is for revealing my, well our, terrible secret."

Teddy looked at him like he'd grown an extra head. "You're serious?"

"Mate, sometimes you just _know, _OK!" Mike said, with some passion. "I mean, to paraphrase Casablanca, out of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into ours last night. We're both aware that there are funny things going on in this universe, and we're a bloody good example of it, and sometimes you've just gotta take a chance. This is fate my friend, I guaran-fucking-tee it."

There was a somewhat stunned silence, before Teddy grinned, impressed with his mate's honesty. "You go do what you gotta do, mate. Ring me when you're, er, free."

"Will do," Mike replied, before he did something quite unusual and hugged him. "Thanks, man, I knew you'd understand."

"Hey, who am I to judge someone who's suddenly realised he's madly in love with his oldest female friend? So let's leave this sappy shit at that."

Mike grinned and punched him on the arm. "Madly in love, eh, Lupin?"

Teddy shrugged and walked out the front door with a grin.

* * *

Teddy paid a flying visit to Gran, having a wash and changing his clothes, then to Harry to say hello to him, Ginny and the kids, and finally, he Apparated to Shell Cottage.

He couldn't help but feel somewhat apprehensive as he approached the doorway. Despite having been to Bill and Fleur Weasley's house many times before, with Aimee and Mike's advice ringing in his ears, his intentions here today towards their eldest daughter were anything but their usual innocence; he really hoped that neither of them were a skilled Legimens. Teddy knocked a couple of times and stepped back from the door trying not to look in any way as nervous as he felt.

The door swung open, and he was greeted by the dazzling smile of Fleur Weasley. Though now nearly forty years old, Victoire's mother had not lost any of the radiance she had possessed as a teenager.

"Salute, Teddy, I think Victoire is upstairs," she said, though years in England had made her accent less prominent, Fleur did have a tendency to still use French words and phrases. She gestured for him to come in. "How is it to be back in England?"

"Same old," Teddy said. "Got to think about a career and the rest of my life now, I guess. Getting old!"

"Don't make it sound so depressing, Teddy. Whilst I remember my school days fondly, your best years are still ahead of you," Fleur said, reassuringly, before calling up the stairs. "Victoire! There's someone here to see you!"

"Coming, Maman!" Came Victoire's disembodied reply.

"Have you thought about what you're going to do for work?" Fleur asked, leading him into the kitchen and pointing her wand at the kettle. "Tea?"

"Yes please. Well, me and my friend Mike have been thinking about working on bringing Muggle inventions to the Wizarding world. We think there's a market for various things, from toys and games, to weapons and defence stuff for the Aurors. We're going to see Harry about our first one next week, actually."

"Sounds very interesting," she said. "I suspect that Arthur will be very interested."

"I'd think so. Historically, Wizards have been a bit blasé about how much better spells and charms are than technology, but if I learnt one thing on my trip, it was that Muggles are very, very clever when they need to get something done without magic."

Fleur smiled at him fondly and handed him a cup of tea. "With all the tales Victoire has told me over the years of your antics at school, I think you will succeed. Perhaps you should speak to George Weasley also, about the mechanics of business? Or perhaps Harry will want you to work for his department full time."

"I hadn't thought about working for the Ministry, actually. Maybe I'll send Harry an owl about it."

There was a rumbling on the stairs and Victoire appeared in the doorway. Her face cycled through a series of emotions and Teddy suspected she had been expecting Glen rather than himself. She finally settled on pleased to see him, but with a slight edge of coldness. Apparently cursing someone's boyfriend annoys them somewhat.

"Hey," she said, making her way into the kitchen. Teddy kept his eyes firmly focused on her face, not the tank top or rather tight jeans she was wearing.

"Hey," he managed in a somewhat breathy reply, before getting himself under control. "I thought I'd come say sorry about the other day. It was a bit childish, you know, cursing _whatshisface_ and all that."

"Yeah it was." She stood there and crossed her arms at him, tapping her toe, doing her best to look annoyed. Teddy could see the smile hidden in her eyes though, and knew his face was slowly breaking out into a smile. In a moment, the barrier broke and she burst out laughing. "You know it's remarkably difficult to stay mad at you, Teddy, when you look at me like that."

Teddy just smiled, stood up and gave Victoire a tight hug. He had the distinct impression that someone was staring at him and when he released Victoire from their embrace, he saw Fleur Weasley was eyeing him curiously. Teddy suspected that Fleur Weasley was not as ignorant to his intentions as he hoped, but graciously said nothing, before she left them alone in the kitchen. Teddy swore he saw a slight smile on her face as she left the room.

"So what brings you to the coast? Because, as nice as it was Teddy, I don't think you came all this way just to apologise. To be honest, I didn't think you'd do it at all! The _'Teddy is always right'_ rule you taught me when I was four is still in place, I believe," Victoire said, sitting against the kitchen table.

"I think that rule may need revision," he looked thoughtful for a moment. "_'Teddy is always right, unless he isn't'_."

"Delightfully vague," Victoire laughed. "Where's Williams anyway, have you two had a lovers tiff?"

"Ha, no. Funny story actually," Teddy said. "So we went out in Reading last night, that's where Mike lives..."

Teddy recounted the tale of how they had been in the pub and bumped into Mike s oldest friend Chloe, whom he hadn't seen since he started Hogwarts, their impassioned kissing in the nightclub and finally Teddy awaking this morning with Chloe in the kitchen, wearing a Holyhead Harpies t-shirt.

"A Harpies shirt? Does he actually want to end up in Azkaban?" Victoire said. "She stayed the night then."

"Yes, and given the glow on her cheeks this morning, they both had a merry old time and not much sleep."

That made Victoire laugh. Teddy noticed that he had subconsciously moved closer to her while he was speaking. Now leant casually against the table, his hand was millimetres from hers. She shifted position and they were just barely touching.

"It's funny that, though, when you think of it. There must be a Chloe for most every Muggleborn at Hogwarts. I'll have to ask Jenny when I get back to school if she's got a secret long lost love hidden away in Exeter," she said, referring to her dorm-mate Jenny Brackley, a girl who even at fifteen when Teddy had still been at Hogwarts, was starting to earn a bit of a reputation amongst the boys of the school.

"I get the impression no love of Jenny's would be lost for particularly long."

Victoire pulled a face at him. "You judgemental git, Teddy Lupin. You need to stop listening to rumours."

"So they're not true then?" he asked, eyebrow raised.

"Well, yes, they are in this case, but according the Hogwarts rumour mill, my Veela blood means that I'm particularly noisy in the Astronomy Tower." She waggled her eyebrows in a way that conveyed her meaning clearly.

Teddy couldn't stop the onslaught of images that filled his head. Without properly thinking, his mouth apparently acting on instinct, he said, "Well, are you?"

Victoire blushed a little, apparently expecting that her remark would have embarrassed Teddy into silence. She regained her composure quickly and with her tone deep, almost seductive, she replied, "Wouldn't you like to know.."

He couldn't help himself now, he knew what this was. The look in her eyes said this was now a contest and wouldn't stop until one of them was so freaked out they had to quit. They had played this 'flirt until one of them freaks out' game before, and Victoire always, always won. This time he was determined. His eyes locked with hers, he smirked and said, "Yes I would."

That didn't work, as she leaned back, placing her arms behind her on the table and pushing her chest out. Teddy sucked in a breath. "I bet you would, what makes you think I'd let you find out?"

Teddy appraised her with his eyes and took a step around so he was directly facing her. If Victoire had been stood up, they'd have been nose to nose.

"I'm sure you would. I happen to know you find me very attractive," Teddy said with more confidence than he thought he possessed.

Victoire considered this and sat forward once more, closing the gap between them again, her feet now placed either side of Teddy's, slowly moving towards his face.

"And so what if I do, what are you going to do about it?" She leant closer with every word, until she was pretty much whispering in his ear. Teddy was struck by the sudden realisation that this wasn't a game at all. Maybe it had never been a game and he was just too stupid to realise.

She began to lean back onto the table again, but this time Teddy followed, well aware he was now stood between her legs. He placed both hands on the table and was now almost looming over her, smiling cockily.

His voice low and soft, "Anything you want." Their eyes were still locked and he instinctively wet his lips. Victoire's eyes flashed with an emotion he had never seen before, and the air between them charged. Teddy could have sworn there was a faint, almost ethereal, glow coming from Victoire's cheeks.

The gap between them was closing and breath was mingling mid air. Victoire's breathing had become short and sharp, as had his own. The distance between them was almost non-existent and for a fleeting second, Teddy was sure he was about to kiss her.

However, there was a knock on the front door and Teddy jumped back, tripping on one of Victoire's feet which had snaked behind his, and clattered to the floor. He cursed his clumsiness and climbed back to his feet, dusting himself down. Victoire was incredibly flushed and fiddling with the pockets of her jeans, decidedly not looking at him.

"Victoire," came Fleur's voice from the front room. "Your petit ami is here." Even with Teddy's limited knowledge of French, he knew what that meant. He looked at Victoire again and she gave him a very strange look, and left Teddy in her wake, moving into the living room.

Glen's face was one of bright excitement as he gave Victoire a chaste kiss in front of her mother. It quickly changed when he saw Teddy, and turned to one of some confusion and perhaps just a twinge of annoyance.

"Hello Lupin, what are you doing here?" he asked, spotting him and waving awkwardly.

"I was just, er, thought I'd just drop by to say hello." Teddy replied weakly, shrugging.

Victoire jumped in before he could dig himself into a bigger hole. "Teddy was just leaving, weren't you?"

Her eyes said there would be no arguing with this statement.

"Glen, I was just going to put the kettle on, would you like a cup of tea?" Fleur said from beside him. He nodded, eyes glazing over slightly. "Excellent, come through to the kitchen with me, won't you?"

Somewhat like a lost puppy, Glen followed Fleur toward the kitchen. As she passed, Fleur patted him on the shoulder and gave Teddy a knowing smile. He wasn't sure what to make Fleur's actions, but instead moved instinctively toward Victoire and the door.

"I hate it when she does that," she said, still not looking at him, "using the Veela charms, though they don't seem to effect you at all."

"Guess I've got an immunity since I grew up round them."

"Not the answer I was looking for. I was hoping we could use whatever latent abilities they give me as an excuse for whatever that was in the kitchen actually," Victoire said, her voice shy and quiet.

"Vic," Teddy said, touching her on the upper arm gently. She tensed for a second, but relaxed as he ran his hand down to her wrist. "Look at me."

Victoire looked up, her blue eyes a sea of emotion and as they met, Teddy felt like his heart would burst. His brain wrestled to form a sentence.

"That, in there, it was...I don't know." He nervously ran his free hand through his hair, which he realised had at some point morphed back to its natural short sandy brown. "Sorry, not being very articulate here." He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "We're not going to be weird now are we? I'll come round soon and we'll sort this whole thing out."

Victoire reached for the hand rested on her wrist, bringing it down between her own hands, and held it for a second, looking down where they were joined. "Yeah. I'd like that."

"Saturday?" Teddy squeezed lightly.

"OK." She looked up at him again and the feeling in the pit of his insides came back even stronger. "You should go."

"I know." He pulled her into a tight hug, so much left unsaid. "Bye, Vic."

"Bye, Teddy," she murmured into his shoulder.

Teddy stepped back, still holding onto her, but pulling apart so their eyes could meet properly. Delicately, he kissed her on the forehead, before turning and leaving without another word.

* * *

_Teddy: _'Had a weird afternoon at Shell Cottage. Text me back when you can.'  
_Mike :_ 'What's up?'  
_Teddy:_ 'Almost kissed Vic on the kitchen table.'  
_Mike :_ 'Define almost. (You dirty dog :P)'  
_Teddy: _'As in mere millimetres from her face before was rudely interrupted by the bf. He didn't see, thank fuck.'  
_Mike :_ 'Did you punch him in the mouth for being a shit?'  
_Teddy:_ 'I don't see how that would have been productive.'  
_Mike : _'It'd have made you feel better though. Did she say anything afterwards?'  
_Teddy: _'We're meeting on Saturday for a *chat* :S'  
_Mike :_ 'Pint? '  
_Teddy: _'Is that your solution to everything?'  
_Mike :_ '...yes. Wizards Retreat in an hour, got to disentangle myself from Chloe. I think I've worn her out :D'  
_Teddy: _'TOO MUCH INFORMATION MATE (subtle high-five). See you at 6.'

* * *

Just after six, Teddy was stood in Diagon Alley, receiving some disdainful looks from a few elder wizards and witches. People had started to wear Muggle clothes more often after the war, but they were generally quite conservative in fashion, so a teenager with a tattoo hanging out the bottom of his t-shirt sleeve and black hair streaked with red tips didn't generally impress.

According to Harry, when they had spoken about the post-war years, Diagon Alley had been a run-down dump immediately after Voldemort's fall. However, free from the shadow of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, business had soon boomed, many new shops had opened and the place was now bustling with life. As Teddy made his way further into the Alley, he passed Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and smiled.

George and Ron Weasley had reopened the shop together, almost as an outlet for their grief after the death of their brother Fred. Aided by their brother Percy, despite his having returned to the Ministry of Magic and working almost twelve hour days in an attempt to rebuild after the fall, they managed to get it up and running before the end of the summer, ready for the first year of Hogwarts students who did not have to live under the threat of Voldemort.

Ron later moved to the Aurors with Harry because, he claimed, catching Dark Wizards was a lot less stressful than trying to manage a joke shop. In a tribute to Fred they had placed in a secluded corner of the shop a small swamp, above which hung two pictures; one of Harry, Fred and George and another of a George, Ron and Percy under the banner 'Mischief Managed'. Teddy, who had 'acquired' the Marauders Map from Harry, found this to be a very fitting tribute indeed.

Teddy rounded a corner and approached the Wizards Retreat, a small but vibrant-looking pub near the back of the Alley. The Leaky Cauldron, which acted as both a pub and the gateway into Diagon Alley, was much less dingy now since being taken over by Hannah Longbottom (wife of Teddy's old Herbology professor), but was now more of a gastro pub and thoroughfare into the Wizarding world than a proper drinking hole. The Wizards Retreat, on the other hand, was both more down market and a trendy place to go, usually frequented by the younger members of the Wizarding community. In the post-war years, it had apparently become the unofficial 'headquarters' of Dumbledore's Army, and was now actually run by a former member, one Lavender Brown. When Teddy had been told that this beautiful witch had once dated the rather goofy Ron in school, he didn't believe it for several hours until someone produced a rather compromising photograph of a teenage Ron. To his credit, the redhead maintained that the key to a girl's heart was humour not looks, though Harry had muttered to Teddy conspiratorially, "Or arguing with her every second of the bloody day for seven years."

Teddy pushed open the double-hinged doors and the smell of stale beer hit him quite hard, as did the blaring jukebox which had currently cycled round to some Weird Sisters, now retro enough to be cool again. The Wizards Retreat was not actually unlike the bar they had been in the previous evening in Reading, with trendy lighting and a variety of different seats, from benches, bar stools and sofas scattered around the room in a seemingly random manner. Mike waved him over where he was sat on a worn leather sofa in the corner of the bar, before looking at his watch significantly.

"You'd be late to your own bloody funeral Lupin," Mike said, as Teddy sat down. He gestured at a pint glass. "That one's yours."

"What is it?" he said, picking it up and taking a sip. "Wait, is this Stella?"

"Yes mate! They've apparently got some magic beer taps in here and you can have any beer you ask for, I thought I'd challenge the barmaid with something Muggle."

"This is the sort of magic I can get behind," Teddy smiled. "Managed to free yourself from Chloe then."

Mike smirked, "Only after some careful consideration. She's a lot prettier than you are, but I figured you'd be lost without my wizened guidance."

"Sod off," Teddy laughed. "So, what's to become of you two now, after last night's glorious reunion?"

"Marriage and a couple of kids," Mike said with absolute certainty, before laughing at the look on Teddy's face. "I jest. Guess we'll see how it goes. If this turns out to be serious, which I hope it does, I'll have to work out how exactly I'm going to broach the whole 'magical powers' topic."

"Let me know how that goes. It's somewhat disturbing to see you all loved up actually," Teddy said and Mike made a face. "So, oh wizened one, what guidance do you wish to bestow on me?"

"Right, you sarcastic git, without any poncey adjectives, describe to me what exactly happened when you conveniently popped over to Vicky's house this afternoon and nearly copped off with her on the kitchen table."

Teddy described their short, light chat, which had taken suddenly taken a flirty turn, then become very serious indeed. When he reached the point of Glen's interruption and how Fleur had led him away into the kitchen, Mike smirked so broadly Teddy actually stopped his story.

"What?" Teddy asked.

"Her Mum totally knows," Mike said plainly. "Not only that, she seems to be sat in your corner."

"Yeah, I thought that too actually. Struck me as rather odd to be honest," Teddy said. "You'd kinda think she'd be very protective of her daughter."

"You're clearly confusing Vicky's Mum with her Dad. She's what, a quarter Veela?" Mike stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah, don't see what difference that makes though," Teddy said, confused.

"Did you actually listen in school? Good job I'm here really." Mike looked exasperated, he took a sip of his beer, before continuing, "Do you think a dragon can manipulate fire if it wasn't inherently sensitive to and had fundamental understanding of fire, on an instinctual level?"

"I don't see where you're going with this," Teddy replied, knowing he was about to receive a lecture. Mike threw a peanut at him.

"A Veela manipulates lust, which, whilst not its entirety, is a component of..." He waved his hand to indicate that Teddy should answer.

"Love," Teddy said, his stomach not feeling at ease with what he thought Mike was implying.

"Thus, a Veela, in their very nature, must be sensitive too and fundamentally understand love, as an instinct."

Teddy's hand, which was about to raise his drink to his mouth froze mid-air. He had a feeling he had just turned white as a sheet.

Mike seemed not to notice his reaction. "Thus endeth the lesson. You can be fairly certain she knows you're madly in love with her daughter. Actually, I reckon she probably knew before you did."

"Shit," Teddy said, regaining enough composure to at least take a large gulp of his beer before something else dawned on him. "Do you think Vic can tell too?"

Mike looked thoughtful, "At an eighth rather than a quarter, she'll probably have less understanding about what it is she's sensing. Probably why she reacted so strongly to your come-on, as it was born out of love, and somehow she'll know that."

Teddy simply replied, "Double shit."

"Not double shit mate, this actually works in your favour. Love is what drives Veela. Proper love, not lust. In one of the greatest ironies of the universe, Veela always want to be loved for who they are, not for what they look like, despite being magically enhanced to appear beautiful beyond belief and inspire lust. Did you know that humans who mate with a pure Veela are almost without exception blind or of limited sight, so are immune to the effects? You're in love with her daughter, properly, for who she is, and that is precious to Vicky's mum and she will nurture it."

"You're full of facts today," Teddy said. "So why doesn't she have the same reaction to Glen?"

"Cos he's not in love with her, even if he's telling her he is," Mike stated simply. "Victoire's Mum will know that."

"What? Why would he do that if..." A very cold feeling ran down Teddy's spine, knowing only one real reason blokes told women they loved them when they didn't. "I'm going to fucking murder him!"

"Yeah, what a twat, right?" Mike said, his face hard at the thought. "And as much as I too would like to pound the scrawny little shit into a pulp, that's not going to help."

"It'd help a little bit," Teddy mumbled, echoing Mike's earlier words back at him and feeling slightly numb.

"Probably, but what you need to know is that you two have something above and beyond that wankers lies. Deep, pure.. Well maybe not so pure, but still, actual love."

"You can speak for me, but I think you're pulling the fact it's mutual out of your arse."

"Come on mate, I already fairly conclusively proved she's fancied you for ages yesterday! But, you know how I've been telling you that you two have been madly in love for years? Consider for a moment that I'm not actually wrong. Really!" Mike said, leaning back in his chair, and eyeing Teddy curiously as he drank the remainder of his pint.

Teddy thought about it objectively again, sober this time compared to his last contemplation on their relationship. He and Victoire had been friends for a very long time so there was a lot to consider. He thought about how they had fought as children, which had morphed as they were older into a somewhat argumentative, and recently as they were both leaving puberty, rather flirty banter. They had an almost psychic ability to sense what the other was thinking, and could occasionally finish each other's sentences.

Victoire had always liked to make him uncomfortable with the 'flirt chicken' game that had led to his predicament earlier, and she never, ever, backed down in it. He thought about her reactions to him when he was leaving, about the long lingering (jealous?) looks she'd given him when he'd taken other girls to Hogsmeade, and to how, above all else, she was always very happy to see him, regardless.

"Fuck, I think you may have been right," Teddy said. looking over at his friend. "I hate you, I hope you know that."

"Never question my judgement again, ballbag," Mike stated, with a grin.

"So, we're both madly in love with each other, what the hell am I supposed to do about it?"

"_Show_ her you cretin, demonstrate that no matter what empty words Glendwyr or Gwendolyn or whatever his twattish Pureblood name is, is feeding her, you two have something special. Come the fuck on, Teddy Lupin, your godfather is Harry bloody Potter, you should know love always wins in the end."

This made Teddy smile and he nodded appreciatively at Mike, who just looked smug and slid his empty glass across the table. "Your shout."


	5. Teddy's Two Week Window Part 1

**Chapter 4 - Teddy's Two Week Window (Part 1)**

Saturday crept up quicker than Teddy had imagined, and he was rummaging through his wardrobe dressed in only a pair of boxer shorts in an attempt to find something to wear. He finally concluded that he would just wear the first t-shirt he pulled out of the drawer and build it up from that, as he was getting nowhere. Wiggling his hand around, he pulled out a plum purple shirt which had in large letters 'SCIENCE!' and a picture of what Mike told him was an atom. They had laughed at the concept of a Wizard owning such a shirt. He finally settled on a pair of dark blue jeans, a worn suit jacket and his trainers, before he headed down the stairs.

"You look nice, dear, going out?" Andromeda asked as Teddy appeared down the stairs, placing his wand in his jacket pocket.

"Oh," said Teddy, hoping he wasn't too over dressed, "no, just round to see Victoire."

"Didn't you go and see her the other day?" Andromeda had a slight twinkle in her eyes that Teddy did not like.

"Well, she is my friend, plus Mike is busy."

Andromeda smiled, "He sent me a letter the other day thanking me for letting him stay the night, but he's decided to stay at his parents on his own until they get back from holiday. I suspect there may be a girl involved."

Teddy was somewhat surprised. "How on earth did you know that?" he said, before quickly adding, "not that there is, of course."

"I may be getting on a bit, young Teddy, but that does not mean I am not wise to the ways of the world. As clever as you boys are or think you are, I've seen it all before," she said, before adding after appraising his appearance once more, "I'll always be able to tell if there's a girl involved."

A thought jolted through his brain and Teddy quickly added what he thought was a great cover story, "There's not a girl! I am honestly going to see Victoire."

His grandmother smiled, and simply said, "Victoire is a girl." before walking into the kitchen and leaving Teddy alone trying to splutter a rebuttal in the front room.

He decided that arguing would only dig him into a deeper hole, so thought the better of it, Apparating directly to Shell Cottage. For the second time in under a week he found himself stood looking at the doorway nervously. He reached and knocked, trying to get himself under control.

The door swung open, and he was greeted by Louis, who was chewing on some toast. "Awrigt Theddy," he managed through his mouthful, before swallowing and adding, "how's it going?"

"Yeah, not bad, Lou, is your sister in?" he said, clapping Louis on the shoulder as he was let into the house.

"If you mean Icky Nikki, then no, if you mean Icky Vicky, then yes. She's up in her room." He pointed upstairs. "Looking sharp, mate, by the way. You'll have to show me where you find all this gear."

"Thanks, you can come with me for a wander round Muggle London before you go back to school, if you want. There's a place called Oxford Street that makes Diagon Alley look like a bloody alley. Where's your parents?" Teddy added as an afterthought.

"I think Dad's at the Ministry with Uncle Percy, some Gringotts rubbish, on a bloody weekend too! Mum's round with the other Aunts, gossiping probably. You might as well go up, she's been awake for ages. She's taking extra long to get dressed today for some reason." Louis made a face.

"Cheers mate, make sure you Owl me about going to Muggle London," Teddy said, heading for the stairs.

He climbed the winding stairs past Bill and Fleur's room (tactically placed nearest to the stairs so they could hear if their children were sneaking down), past Louis's room and the bathroom before heading up a second set of stairs to the upper portion of the house which contained Victoire's and Nikki's rooms. Teddy knocked gently on her door, which was violently wrenched open by a dishevelled looking Victoire.

"WHAT LOUI...Oh." She looked up at Teddy, and smiled shyly, flattening her hair with her hands. "Hey, Teddy, I wasn't expecting you just yet. You're usually late."

"I can be early if I really try," he replied, and then stood awkwardly in the doorway for a minute. Neither said anything. Teddy suspected he was smiling in a somewhat goofy manner and fought to stop it.

"Er, well, come in," Victoire said, turning and walking back into her room. "Excuse the mess."

Mess was not the word Teddy would have used, explosion of clothing would have perhaps been more fitting. Victoire was usually meticulously tidy, but it appeared everything she owned, with the exception of the light purple dress and leggings that she currently had on, was strewn all over the floor. Teddy noted that said dress was rather 'clingy' and he was currently trying to force his brain to re-engage.

"Merlin, Vic, did you set off a bomb in your wardrobe?" he said, shoving aside some clothes to sit down on her bed, awkwardness gone.

She smiled slightly. "Today I am being Miss 'Hundreds of Clothes, Nothing to Wear' I'm afraid."

"Good job you look lovely in everything then, really," Teddy said automatically. A tiny blush crept into her cheeks. "I was actually having the same trouble, so I shut my eyes and pulled out the first t-shirt I could find, and worked from there."

"What does that shirt say?" she said, moving towards him and standing so their knees were touching slightly. She pulled his jacket open slightly and smiled. "I suspect you may have bought this ironically Mr Lupin."

"I've got one that says 'FCUKing Magic,' which also amused me," Teddy replied, though his brain was currently filled with thoughts of Victoire pushing his jacket off and back onto the bed, the two of them tumbling after it. He felt some severe disappointment when she let his jacket drop back and crossed the room to sit against her desk, where she started fiddling with something on the side. There was a sudden burst of music.

"I got it from Aunt Hermione, on your recommendation," she said, as the sound of 'Janie Jones' filled the room. Teddy smiled broadly. "I didn't really 'get it' at first, but I think you might be onto something with this sort of music."

Teddy smirked. "I hope you've fully destroyed your collection of records by The Stupefy's after witnessing the brilliance that is The Clash!"

"As if!" Victoire said, looking insulted, "I've just realised that they may not be the embodiment of musical genius that I once thought."

"They're three particularly good-looking blokes who sing material that is recycled from Muggle boy bands, repackaged for a magical audience. To be honest, it is a little bit genius. Artistically worthless, but still genius," Teddy conceded.

"Snob." Victoire laughed, as they both bopped along to the music. "So, rather than sit in amongst this mess, do you want to take a wander along the beach?"

Teddy, who was perfectly comfortable being sat on Victoire's bed, thought to disagree, but decided against it. "Yeah, come on then, it's a nice day."

Victoire smiled brightly and leapt off the desk, leading the way downstairs, rapidly telling him about the various bands she'd been discovering over the last year or so, which was quite an extensive list. When the arrived downstairs, Louis was sprawled out on the sofa reading a book called _'Wards and Protective Charms' _that likely belonged to his father.

"Louis, we're just going down the beach," Victoire said, slipping on a pair of trainers. Louis grunted in acknowledgement, not looking up.

Teddy noted she had also at some point bought a pair of Converse. "Snap," he said, lightly kicking her foot as she tied the laces.

"I saw yours last year and thought they were cool," she replied, as they left through the back door. "I think you've started a trend, I wore them to Diagon Alley over Christmas and everybody wanted some. These are now the height of Hogwarts fashion, you know."

"Harry will be proud. When he saw them, he said he used to wear them too, back in the day," Teddy said.

Victoire laughed. "I never really saw Uncle Harry at the cutting edge of fashion, to be honest, judging by the old photographs of him, Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione from Hogwarts. Frumpy jumpers all over the place!"

"I'll tell him you said that, and you'll be off the Christmas card list," Teddy teased. Victoire stuck her tongue out at him.

"If he tried it, I'll appeal to Aunt Ginny. We all know who wears the trousers in that marriage."

They both laughed for quite a long time about that, walking slowly down a series of steps onto the beach below. It was a bright sunny day and quite warm, but there was a slight sea breeze which stopped it from being really hot.

"Damn," Victoire swore when they reached the sand.

"What?"

"I wish I hadn't worn these damn leggings, I love the feeling of sand in my feet," she said, before apparently being struck with an idea. "Turn round."

"Again, what?" Teddy said looking at her.

"I'm going to take them off. Turn round Teddy," she said, fixing him with a deadly stare.

Teddy grumbled and begrudgingly faced the wall, trying not to imagine what was going on behind him. He head the dull thud of two shoes hitting the sand. He decided to take off his own shoes and socks. rolling the bottoms of his jeans up for good measure.

"I don't know what the problem is, I've seen you in your pants before," Teddy said, laughing.

"Who said I'm wearing any?" came her reply and a thousand thoughts that were wholly inappropriate filled Teddy's mind. He struggled to form a sentence. "I'm joking, Teddy. Though it was cute you were just so embarrassed your hair turned red, I haven't seen it do that since we were kids."

He morphed his hair back to its black with red spikes, thinking that embarrassment was not the emotion that had triggered that particular morph.

"You're a horrible tease, you know that?" Teddy said, regaining control of his tongue.

"Duly noted. You may turn round now."

Teddy turned and Victoire was smiling brightly at him. She then produced her wand from a pocket of her dress and banished her leggings back to the house. Teddy hoped he had been subtle when he had checked out her legs, though he suspected not. "Come on then," she said, flicking a bit of sand at him with her toes, which were painted either a very dark red, or black.

They walked along the beach in silence, just looking out to sea and watching the waves come in.

"I remember swimming in there when we little. It was always bloody freezing," Teddy said.

"This is England Teddy, you might have noticed the sea is never very warm here!" Victoire replied, bumping into him slightly. "Anyway, you've been spoilt now you've been to all those hot countries with warm seas."

Teddy smiled at the memories. "It was beautiful, Vic, I wish you could have been there. You'd have loved it."

"One day," she said, with a slightly faraway look in her eyes. "Where was your favourite?"

Teddy thought for a moment. "Hard to pick to be honest. Thailand was great, the scenery was amazing, and the parties were...well...off the scale."

"I remember you saying in one of your postcards, something about a Full Moon Party. I felt that was a little bit appropriate for you." She smiled.

"And you," Teddy said softly. Their fathers both being scarred by Fenir Greyback, Bill physically and Remus with the curse he bore, had been a point of great bonding when they had been told. Teddy's one and only real fight at Hogwarts had been with someone who had made a remark about his Werewolf blood. "It was an absolute madhouse, people just partying on the beach, these massive 'bucket' cocktails all over the place."

"Sounds fun," Victoire said, as they drew nearer to the waters edge. "I suppose you and Mike were in your element."

Teddy just smiled. "You would have been too. I don't think anyone couldn't enjoy it, really."

They had reached the water's edge and a particularly large wave crashed in, sending the icy waters of the English Channel rushing towards their feet. Victoire squealed and ran back onto the dry sand of the beach.

"You big girl," Teddy said, flicking a bit of water and foam at her as it washed over his feet.

"TEDDY!" Victoire put her hands on her hips, not looking impressed, as the water splattered on her legs.

"It's not that cold, stop being a wuss."

He walked back up the beach and grabbed Victoire by the hand, practically dragging her towards the sea. She wrestled for a bit, but eventually their arms became so entangled that Victoire's were pinned to her sides by Teddy's much stronger ones which he had wrapped around her. With relative ease he picked her up and walked back towards the sea.

"Put me down Teddy Lupin! I swear to Merlin you will live to regret this as soon as I can get my hand on my wand!" Victoire squealed, before Teddy dropped her feet into the cold water.

"Told you it wasn't that bad," Teddy said, relaxing his grip from around her waist. Victoire said nothing and hardly moved, simply untrapping her arms and placing her hands on his. She lent back onto his chest, just stood in the sea. Teddy felt particularly content in that position.

Neither of them spoke again for some time, just letting the water wash over their feet and ankles. Victoire shivered slightly and Teddy pulled her closer, she lent against him completely, head resting on his shoulder.

"This is nice," she murmured. Teddy looked down, and Victoire's eyes were closed, just breathing in the sea air deeply.

"Yeah, it is."

Victoire's eyes fluttered and she looked at him wide-eyed, a small shy smile playing on her lips. Teddy smiled back and she twisted so they were facing each other, still pressed tightly together with his arms around her waist. She closed her eyes again and rested her head in the crook of his neck. Teddy could smell the intoxicating scent of her hair and Victoire sighed contentedly as they held each other.

"We should go back," she stated after a few more minutes, murmuring into his neck, though she didn't sound like she meant it.

"Why?" Teddy replied, "I'm perfectly fine like this."

After a moment's thought, Victoire said, "Me too, and that's the problem."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"It doesn't matter." Victoire sighed and released herself from his grip, turning and walking toward the dry sand of the beach, a very confused Teddy following.

"Vic, wait." He jogged after her, grabbing her hand in his. She gripped it back tightly. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing, Teddy," she said, avoiding his eyes. She squeezed his hand and laced her fingers through his. She was silent for a moment. "It's this. Us. Something's changed."

"Nothing's changed Vic, we're still the same as we always were," Teddy said, knowing full well he was lying.

"No, we're not," Victoire said, keeping her hand in his, but turning to face him. "It's not a bad change, Teddy. I mean, I've always hoped..." she bit her lip. "Just very inconvenient timing is all."

Something inside Teddy simultaneously soared and sank. "I...Vic. I'm not really sure what to say to that. The other day in the kitchen..."

"What's meant to happen will happen, Teddy, don't worry about that," she said quietly, smiling shyly at him. Victoire released his hand and turned again, walking back to where they had left their shoes.

The silence that followed was deafening, climbing back onto the cliff top and exchanging stolen glances was all they could manage. Halfway back to the house, Teddy's phone buzzed in his pocket. Victoire looked at him curiously as he slid it open, reading the message to himself and chuckling.

"What?" Victoire asked.

Teddy smiled and morphed into his best impression of his best friend, before reading the message aloud in his best Estuary English accent. "Goin' Laan-don wiv Chlo, do you 'n' Vicky wanna go? I'm a fackin' poet and I did not know it. Maanday, abaat 12."

"The face was good but I think you need to work on the accent. You sound like Dick van Dyke." Victoire smiled, Teddy was impressed. "We watched Mary Poppins in Muggle Studies fourth year," she explained.

"So do you want to go? It'll be a strictly Muggle adventure though, so we'll have to come up with a decent cover story for you. Should be fun," Teddy asked, hoping she wouldn't say no based on earlier weirdness.

"I'd love to," Victoire said almost immediately. "Floo to the Leaky Cauldron and meet them from there?"

Teddy smiled. "Sounds good to me. How about I meet you here at 11, we can walk and meet them in Leicester Square for some lunch?"

Victoire nodded and after a swift hug, former awkwardness gone, Teddy Apparated away.

* * *

Sunday passed without much stress. Mike texted Teddy a few times with new ideas, and also said he'd been working on some sort of Shield Charmed body armour, based on a set of old roller hockey pads he'd found in a charity shop in Reading, and they'd have to test later in the week. Teddy spent most of the day reading, he'd found a few Muggle books that must have belonged to his Grandfather on the Weapons of World War 2, which was the Muggle conflict that had overlapped with rise of Grindelwald in the Wizarding world.

When Monday arrived, and after again much deliberation over what he was going to wear, Teddy headed out to Shell Cottage to pick up Victoire. His Grandmother just smirked when told where he was going, but said nothing. With more confidence than his last two visits, Teddy knocked on the door and this time it was Bill Weasley who answered.

"Morning Teddy," he said, his hair was rumpled and looking distinctly like he'd only gone to bed a couple hours previously, still in a fading Chudley Cannons dressing gown. "Come in, mate, Victoire is just getting ready."

"Cheers, Bill," Teddy said, smiling at the older man, "Rough night? I heard you had a busy weekend. I came round Saturday and Louis said you were at the Ministry on Gringotts business. Anything exciting?"

Bill smiled coyly through tired eyes. "Well, lets just say you're not the only one who's interested in Muggle ideas that could be translated to the Wizarding World. Don't suppose you know what happened on 15th February 1971, do you?"

Teddy thought for a bit. "Rather before my time, to be honest, I'll ask Mike when we see him later, he might know."

"Good lad, but if you work it out, keep it under your hat for a bit," Bill said, sitting down in an armchair and picking up a cup of coffee, "So, where are you taking my daughter today?"

"Not entirely sure, to be honest. I've found the best days out don't really have a plan. Maybe go see the Muggle sights," Teddy said, taking a seat on the sofa to wait for Victoire. "Mike is bringing his ...well... I suppose she's his girlfriend. She's a Muggle, so we're having a Muggle day out."

"I hope you're going to be strictly in-keeping with the International Statute on Secrecy, young Mr Lupin. I'd rather not see you or my eldest daughter thrown in Azkaban."

Teddy laughed, somewhat nervously. "Mike and I have had plenty of practice at pretending to be Muggles. Actually, you don't know the procedure you have to go through to reveal magic to a Muggle, do you? Mike's already planning ahead."

"Must be serious," Bill mused. "I've got a vague idea that it's actually a personal choice, there's not a form or anything. I also think there is a Ministry registration department for Muggles who know about the Magical world to receive a charm that stops the effects of Muggle repelling charms and such. That will undoubtedly require a form of some sort. I'll ask Percy later, he'll know."

"Cheers, Bill, I was going to ask Harry, but if you'd ask Percy for me, that'd be great."

"No worries, Teddy." He looked over as the stairs creaked, "Is that what Muggles wear these days? It used to be jumpers and jeans in my day..."

Teddy turned round in the sofa to look over his shoulder where Victoire was stood nervously by the stairs. She was wearing what had once been a very large t-shirt that had been cut into a dress using some well placed severing charms and a belt, and to Teddy's infinite amusement, it was adorned on the front with a white on red star and in large letters said 'The Clash'.

"Very rock and roll, Vic, you look great," Teddy said, and her face lit up.

"I saw it in a magazine the other day, and thought, what the hell?" She replied. "Did you convert that money for me Dad?"

Bill Weasley summoned his wallet and pulled out a series of notes, handing them to his daughter. "Don't spend it all at once."

Teddy stood and asked, "Ready to go?"

Victoire nodded an affirmative, and Teddy gestured to the fireplace. They said their goodbyes to Bill Weasley who told them to be good (though humorously adding, 'if you can't be good, be careful' and chuckling to himself), before disappearing into the fireplace.

* * *

They left the Leaky Cauldron and emerged into the bright July sunlight on Charring Cross Road, a busy thoroughfare through central London. Teddy had explored the immediate area before, but the city was so huge that even he had to check nearby signs for directions to nearby Leicester Square. Victoire stood in silence, chewing her lip and fiddling with her hair, as group of Muggle lads in their early twenties looked her up and down as they passed.

"Nervous?" he said, voice calm, resting his hand on the small of her back and glaring at the men.

"I've never really been out in the Muggle world," Victoire admitted, as they started to walk along the busy street. "I mean, I've taken Muggle Studies, and know stuff you've taught me, but what if I say something stupid?" Teddy bumped into her lightly, making her look up.

"Hey, chin up, my dear," he said, "it'll be easy. You'll be great. If you do say something silly, me and Mike will cover for you."

Victoire smiled and they continued walking, past several theatres and ticket offices, before rounding a corner into Leicester Square.

"So what's the plan for today?" Victoire asked, looking curiously at a poster for the musical 'Wicked'. "Is that what Muggles think Witches look like?"

"And that is the Wicked Witch of the West, so no turning to the Dark Arts now, or you'll turn green!" Teddy laughed. "As for the plan, it's Mike so it will probably begin with a pub lunch."

Victoire smirked at him before saying, "Why, Mr Lupin, I hope you're not trying to get me drunk. You know I'm only seventeen, clearly not old enough to drink in the Muggle world!"

"Let's be honest, Vic, if you did want one, I don't think there'd be many barmen in London that would refuse you. Beautiful girls never have any trouble with ID," he said in an airy manner.

Victoire had blushed delicately, and smiled shyly at him. She opened her mouth to say something when Teddy's pocket began to buzz with the opening bass line of _'A Town Called Malice'_. Teddy fished in his pocket for the phone, retrieving it just as Paul Weller began to sing, sliding it open to answer it.

"Ahoy hoy," Teddy said, earning himself a perplexed look from Victoire for his greeting.

"_Alright, numbnuts. Are you here yet?_" Mikes voice came through the phone.

Teddy laughed, "Yeah, just got here, came via Leaky."

"_Oh, which way did you come?_" Mike said, ignoring his reply, confusing Teddy somewhat. "_Train up from Exeter Central to Waterloo, was it? That must have taken like three hours!_"

Sudden clarity struck him, and blessed Mikes encyclopaedic knowledge of things. "Cheers, mate. We're by the Odeon cinema."

"_Right-o, just round the corner. I'm sure we'll spot you,_" Mike said, and then hung up.

Teddy turned to Victoire, "Just in case Chloe asks, which she probably won't, we came up on the train from Exeter Central railway station to Waterloo here in London. It took three hours, so we left at about nineish."

Victoire made a thoughtful face, clearly trying to memorise the information. "I've got a feeling there's going to be a lot of this today isn't there?" She looked worried, so Teddy lightly nudged her on the arm and smiled brightly.

"Don't worry about it my dear, you'll be fine." Victoire returned his smile, placing her hand on his arm, eyes twinkling and Teddy felt his insides do a loop-the-loop.

Scanning the crowd for Mike as he approached was not a difficult as, at around 6'3", he was much taller than most people. Teddy could feel Victoire was bouncing from foot to foot in apprehension next to him, and reached out and squeezed her hand gently. She squeezed back and they broke apart just at Mike and Chloe appeared, holding hands themselves.

"Eyup chaps, good journey up?" Mike said, smiling.

"Yes, mate, took a while though!" Teddy said, hoping to convey his thanks with his eyes.

Mike nodded knowledgeably. "Right, introductions," he said, turning to Chloe, "you know Teddy of course already, so this is Victoire; Vicky, Chloe."

Victoire held her hand out and they shook delicately, "Pleased to meet you. Mike has told me all about you," Chloe said, then with a mischievous smile, added, "Well, about _both_ of you."

"Only good things, I hope," Victoire smiled, "or Mr Williams will be in for it."

Chloe laughed, and Mike shrugged non-committally. "Oh, don't worry, it was!," Chloe reassured, "I love your top by the way, where did you get it?"

Victoire explained she had made it herself, and the two of them began to natter good naturedly.

"Well, might as well go home now," Mike said, with a laugh as the two girls began to speak as if they'd know each other for years. Teddy was trying to keep an ear out for a particularly tricky Muggle-related question that might catch Victoire out, but she seemed to be handling herself just fine.

"What's the plan then?" Teddy said. "I told Bill we'd probably have a look round the sights, Parliament, Nelsons Column, things like that..."

"Well, I'm starving, there's a Spooney's just there," Mike said pointing to the Moon Under Water pub on the corner. Teddy laughed. "What?"

"I told Vic you'd say that, I can clearly channel you when I need to."

Victoire, who had evidently overheard, turned and said, "You should have heard the dreadful impression of you he did the other day when he read out your message about today."

Teddy groaned and Mike laughed, "And Teddy's impressions are usually so good!" Quickly realising he'd alluded to something that he shouldn't have, Mike quickly added, "So then, pub lunch?"

Chloe grasped his arm in hers and smiled up at him, "As soon as I saw that Spoons..."

Mike smiled, "I'm a creature of habit!"

* * *

They had found a table quite easily, and ordered quickly. Mike had sung the praises of the 'beer and burger' deal which they all ordered. As Victoire had little experience with Muggle drinks, Teddy had chosen for her. And as Teddy had predicted, Victoire had no trouble with ordering a 'proper' drink. The scruffy-looking student in his early twenties behind the bar looked remarkably dazzled when she'd spoken to him.

"I think the barman fancies you, Vicky," Mike said. "Watch out or Teddy will be offering him out for a duel."

Everybody laughed, and Chloe interjected, "I bet they had bloody duels at your posh school. Teddy versus the barman, swords at the ready!" There were quite a few knowing laughs from the magical trio, as Chloe was closer to the truth than she thought. "From that reaction I'm guessing there actually were... Bloody hell, you posh git, Mike," Chloe laughed and shook her head.

"Are you going to leave me now you know I'm not as charmingly working class as I first seem?" Mike said, smirking.

"I can spot a Reading accent when I hear it, so at least I know that's not a put-on." Chloe smiled, patting him on the hand. "So what do your parents do, Victoire, were they in the Army like these two?"

Teddy made a sharp intake of breath, but Victoire answered confidently, "Oh, nothing that cool. They work in a bank. My Uncles Ron and Harry are, though."

"Your Uncle Harry is Teddy's godfather right?" Chloe asked, "Mike had quite a bit of trouble trying describing your _'relationship'_ to me." There was a definite twinkle in her eye, and Teddy had the funny feeling Mike had told her more than she was letting on.

"Yeah, that's right," Victoire said, blushing slightly, before smiling, "He's been annoying me since the day I was born."

"I don't know," Chloe said, mischievous smile returning, "I wouldn't think you'd have minded."

Victoire revealed her true Weasley blush at this comment.

They ate their dinner and drank their drinks, keeping the companionable banter up. Dinner eaten, and as Teddy was finishing the remainder of his pint, Victoire shifted uncomfortably for a moment, before asking in a quiet voice, "You don't know where the loo is, do you?"

Mike, who apparently had ears like a bat, replied nonchalantly that he was going himself, so he'd show her, leaving Teddy alone at the table with Chloe.

She smiled at him in that mischievous way again. "Well Teddy, I'll be honest with you, Mike said you were punching way above your weight with Victoire, I didn't think that was a fair comment. Seems he was right."

Teddy laughed. "He has a tendency to be like that. I'm gonna get him for that punching above my weight crack too, the shit."

"Seriously though, she's gorgeous, and clearly has a thing for you. Even I can tell that," Chloe said, speaking her mind. Teddy could see why Mike liked her, as neither beat about the bush. "You should see the way she looks at you."

Teddy knew it was his turn to blush, but managed to control it before it could spread to his hair. "Boyfriend though, remember?"

"Ah, screw that guy," Chloe said, reminding Teddy of his conversation with her friend Aimee in the club nearly a week before. "She's here with you, remember. This is practically a double date."

"True." Teddy grinned. "I hope you're looking after my best friend, he seems awfully taken with you."

It was Chloe's turn to blush. "I.. well, it's been like a dream to be honest." Her face reddened further, then turned thoughtful. "I know there's something he's not telling me though; you and Victoire, too." She looked at him pointedly.

Teddy knew his face had shown his sudden panic and he managed to splutter out a few words, "There's not, I mean, I don't.."

"Ted, I can tell from the way you say certain things to each other. Look," Chloe said, holding her hands up, "I'm guessing it's important from your face just then, let alone that terrible attempt to cover it up. I'm not going to push it, but I'm guessing it's better you know I know. Though I don't know what I know, to be honest."

Teddy's face went from perplexed to amused. "Though that made very little sense, I think I caught the gist of it. Don't worry, he'll tell you, when he's ready. It's nothing bad." Teddy hoped he'd been sincere enough that she'd believe him.

"Cheers Ted," she smiled, "that actually makes me feel much better."

Mike returned first, followed shortly by Victoire, and he suggest that they head out and have a look around. When Victoire admitted that she'd never really seen London properly (keeping the fact she'd been hundreds of times, though to Diagon Alley only), Chloe suggest doing the big touristy sights.

Teddy was glad Victoire had taken a Muggle Studies O.W.L. (and he was beginning to suspect a bit of extra curricular reading as provided by her Aunt Hermione) when they rocketed through a whistle-stop tour the sights of London using the Tube. She actually suggested a ride on the London Eye, seeing it from across the Thames as they admired the Palace of Westminster, but Mike chuckled saying that he suspected you'd need to book that well in advance.

As they walked away from the river towards Buckingham Palace, Teddy leaned in to Victoire and whispered in her ear. "You dirty liar, you know loads about Muggles!" he said, smiling. "I'm impressed."

"Well," she said, grinning broadly, "you pick up a few things here and there.. .and Aunt Hermione gave me an Encyclopaedia when I took up Muggle Studies in third year."

"I guessed that, actually," Teddy said, though still somewhat surprised at the breadth of her knowledge. "I didn't know you had such an interest."

Victoire wrapped her left arm round his waist and touched him on the nose with her right index finger. "There are many things you don't know about me, Teddy Lupin."

Teddy wrapped his right arm round her shoulder and smiled. "Well, I'd like to know them all, some day."

"Maybe you will," Victoire said, their eyes meeting, causing them to both smile lightly.

"Aw, aren't they sweet," came Mike's voice, breaking them out of their own little world. Teddy glared at him. "Anyway, the home of Her Majesty the Queen!" He said, in a grandiose voice with a sweeping gesture toward the palace. Chloe giggled at his antics.

"The flag is up, doesn't that mean the Queen is in?" Chloe said, and Mike entered a ramble about the Royal Standard, the Union Jack and Princess Diana with her, seemingly forgetting Teddy and Victoire existed.

"He's got it bad," Victoire said, observing Mike. "Really, really bad. I've never seen him like this."

"Me either," Teddy replied, bluntly. "You know, I think he's going to tell her, you know?"

"About..." Victoire said, scrunching her face up in thought, then suddenly realising. "Really?"

"Yeah. To be honest, I think she's worked out something is up. She told me as much in the pub."

"Smart girl, no wonder Mike likes her." Victoire smirked. "That's kind of a big deal though, I mean, you can't tell just anyone that."

"Well look at him." Teddy pointed to where Mike was now gesticulating wildly at the palace, a great big grin on his face, Chloe was giggling madly behind her hand. "That's love right there."

Victoire looked at him oddly. "What do you mean?"

"You know, it's not about words. It's about being happy and content with each other," Teddy said, then in a moment of brazen confidence added, "Any idiot can tell you he loves you even if he doesn't. It's got to mean something."

Victoire fell silent and looked remarkably thoughtful.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly as they visited London's many landmarks at an almost breakneck pace. As Big Ben chimed six PM, Mike pointed out that Teddy and Victoire better get going if they wanted to return home at a reasonable hour, trying to keep up appearances for now, Chloe unaware of their ability to travel to any location fairly instantaneously. The quartet hugged, Victoire and Chloe making plans to have a girls' afternoon sometime in the future, which caused Mike to give Teddy a look.

Teddy was expecting a remark from Mike as they parted, but it was Chloe who provided it. "Hang on to him Victoire, he's a good bloke," she said innocently, mischief still dancing in her eyes. Victoire blushed but said nothing. Teddy's heart soared at her reaction, however.

They parted ways with Mike and Chloe, who were taking a Bakerloo line train towards Paddington and back to Reading. Teddy and Victoire dawdled outside the tube station before nipping into an back alley to Apparate back to Tinworth.

They reappeared in the bright Cornish sunshine with a pop, the sea breeze a welcome change from the city air of London. Victoire looked thoughtful once more as they walked towards the front door, saying nothing.

"What's up?" Teddy said, bumping her with his hip.

"Nothing," she said, but Teddy pulled a face making it clear he didn't believe her. She sighed.

"That was dramatic," he dead panned, smirking at her. Victoire smiled shyly, shaking her head. They stopped short of the front door, Victoire turning and looking him in the eye.

"Thank you for today," she said, glancing down at her shoes quickly. "It was a wonderful adventure."

"No worries," Teddy replied, feeling remarkably self conscious all of a sudden. "Tell you what, I'll see if I can get us tickets for the London Eye, that seemed like a laugh."

"You don't have to do that for me," Victoire said, looking down at her shoes again. Teddy took a step forward and tilted her chin up gently.

"Vic," he said softly, looking in her eyes intently, "I'd do anything for you."

The smile started in her eyes, before spreading to the rest of her face. Victoire said nothing, wrapping her arms round his neck and hugging him tightly. They stood like that for some time, Teddy gently stroking the small of her back, Victoire fiddling with the hairs at the nape of his neck, whilst nuzzling into his shoulder.

Eventually they pulled apart, but Victoire's arms were still around his neck, his hands on her waist, eyes locking again. Victoire reached up and gently kissed his cheek, lips lingering slightly too long, pulling back very slowly until they were almost nose to nose. They were inches apart and Teddy was fighting with all his mental strength not to just kiss her and have done with it. She seemed to sense what he was thinking, closing her eyes and sighing, then resting her forehead on his.

"We can't Teddy," she said, with very little conviction, eyes still closed.

Their breath mingled, lips inches apart. "Why not?"

"You know why," was Victoire's reply, releasing his neck and turning toward the house. "You're infuriating, I hope you know that." Teddy didn't have time for a reply, before she spun back, looking him dead in the eye before continuing, "Years I've been waiting, hoping, that... you know."

"Vic, I..." She held her hand up, stopping his reply in it's tracks.

"Teddy, just let me get my head straight. This whole thing is maddening," she continued, becoming clearly very flustered, before smiling wryly. "Couldn't have worked this out sooner, could you, you prat?"

Teddy laughed, the tension suddenly gone from the air. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Should have listened to Mike," he said, "He's been wise for years."

Victoire snorted and shook her head, "He always was the brains of your operation." She stepped back towards him, placing her hand on his arm, smiling into his eyes again, "Bye, Teddy, don't be a stranger."

"I won't," he replied, as she stepped away again, turning back toward the house.

She took a look over her shoulder with a smile, pushing the door open. "See you soon."


	6. Teddy's Two Week Window Part 2

**Teddy's Two Week Window (Part 2)**

For the better part of the next week, Teddy found an entire litany of excuses to appear at Victoire's house when he wasn't engaged in his Auror project with Mike. Whether it was dropping off packages for his Grandmother or Harry, flying with Nikki, chess with Louis or even just simply saying he was there to see Victoire herself, he was spending an inordinate amount of time in Tinworth.

While things had certainly cooled down from the charged sexual tension at the end of their London trip, it was quite clear that their relationship itself had changed somewhat. They sat closer together, legs touching, whenever they could for one. Victoire was far more physical with him, running her hand down his arm, patting his leg or just playing with his hair for the most inconsequential of reasons. In one moment, on a particularly hot and humid day, they had laid in the grass, Teddy on his back with Victoire's head rested on the comfy part of his chest, her arms wrapped around his waist, falling asleep in each other arms.

He had fobbed off most questions about his constant appearances with the excuse that Mike was now spending increasing amount of time with Chloe, but the subtle change in the dynamic between himself and Victoire had not been lost on everybody. More than ever, Teddy was sure that Fleur was very aware that he and Victoire were moving beyond 'just friends', and he suspected that Nikki was catching on fast too. She smiled at him every time he appeared at the house, despite his excuses becoming more and more woolly, a secret sort of smile that implied a far more than she was saying.

As the return of Glen loomed in Teddy's mind, he was keen to make a real move and take another step forward. Victoire had given no indication beyond their increased intimacy that she'd got her head straight, but he felt that she too was waiting until Glen returned before letting him know either way.

Currently however, he had to push all such thoughts from his mind. Today was the day he and Mike were presenting their ideas to the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Whilst Harry was acting head of the Aurors (and if rumour had it, soon to be the official head), he needed to take decisions like this to his own boss, Gawain Robards.

"Chill out man, you look like you're about to shit yourself inside out." Mike said, giving Teddy a nudge.

"Sorry mate, got a lot on my mind, you know?"

Mike chuckled, "You have? You're not about to reveal to your girlfriend of a mere two weeks one of the best kept secrets in the history of the world." He smirked and flicked invisible dust of his shoulders, "Cool as a cucumber though still."

"Well we can't all be the embodiment of self-confidence, can we?" Teddy said, not in the mood for Mike's attitude when he was nervous.

"Fine." Mike said, loftily.

They sat in silence for several minutes, Mike rattling the contents of his Dad's old Army kit bag he had stored their things in. Teddy knew his friend well enough to tell that he had more on his mind than he was saying.

"Spit it out then, and stop fiddling with the bloody stuff. You're making me more nervous." Mike looked up, eyes revealing his anxiety.

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing?" He chewed his lip, and Teddy laughed. "It's not bloody funny, you ponce."

"Sorry mate," Teddy said, getting control of himself, "here we are about to meet the head of probably the most important department in the Ministry of Magic, and you're not even thinking about it!"

"Pff, he'd have to be an idiot not to take this kit." Mike said, cheering up instantly, "Chloe however.. Chloe. This could change everything."

"You two have got something you know." Teddy said, "Just the way you act around each other, you can see it."

Mike looked at him sceptically. "Yeah, but the fact of the matter is, I have been lying to her. Not just recently, but realistically for the last 8 bloody years."

"Actually mate," Teddy replied thoughtfully, "I think she's going to be glad you told her. Not only that, I think it's going to clear up a lot of unanswered questions for her.. Me and her had a chat on our trip to London, and she knows something is up. Something big. "

She said that? She doesn't think I've got a secret love child or something does she?" The usually calm Mike said, appearing to panic, his voice rising several pitches.

Teddy laughed, despite himself, "No mate, she actually said it was obvious that all three of us were keeping something from her. Me, you and Vic."

"Clever girl." Mike said, almost talking to himself he was so quiet. A smile slowly began to spread across his face, along with a deep look of contentment. "She met my parents by the way, after they finally got back from holiday."

"How did that go?" Teddy asked, somewhat surprised this was the first time he was hearing about this.

"Well. Really, really well." Mike's smile seemed to deepen, "I think they like her nearly as much as I do."

He looked up at Teddy, appearing to want to say something else, but a pretty blonde witch who had been several years ahead of them at Hogwarts appeared from a side door and gestured for them to come through.

They were taken past the bustling Auror Office, the Magical Law Enforcement Squad Office and the secluded and darkened window that looked into the office of the Hit Wizards, to a large oak panelled door at the end of the corridor. The witch smiled at them in a slightly more than friendly way, swinging the door open.

Teddy stepped inside, where he was met by a much larger contingent of wizards than he had expected. At the centre of the room, sat behind a large, highly polished desk and dressed in black robes with thin purple pinstripes was Gawain Robards. To his left, in the blood red robes of the Aurors, official badges hanging round their necks, were Harry and Ron (who gave Teddy a subtle wink). To Robards right was a tall sandy haired man Teddy identified as Seamus Finnegan, a Hogwarts classmate of his Godfather and a senior member of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad, along with another officer he couldn't identify. Lurking in the shadows were two men dressed in Muggle suits, who Teddy suspected were representatives of the Hit Wizards.

Robards stood, he was a tall, broad man and gave off an air of authority when he spoke. "Gentlemen, welcome." He held out his hand to Teddy who shook it and introduced himself, Mike followed suit. Robards sat back down, and gestured for them to begin.

Teddy and Mike explained their research so far, starting the pistol they had started with at Hogwarts. This was duly demonstrated on Mike by Teddy, stunning him from across the room without the use of his wand. They then produced their more advanced weapons, including the rapidly firing rifle, which was shot at the wall to demonstrate how quickly the spells could be fired. The senior Wizards in the room looked suitably impressed.

They then produced a helmet and set of body armour, which had been enchanted with layered Shield Charms to protect the wearer from all by the most powerful of Hexes and Curses. However, it was Mike's last statement as he fired a Jelly Legs Jinx at Teddy, demonstrating how it wasn't effective whilst he was wearing the vest, that caused a major controversy.

"I personally believe, if we can get the Shield Charm density to a sufficiently high level, we could actually stop the Killing Curse."

There was a muttering amongst the room at his.

"You're seriously suggesting you have found a way to stop the Killing Curse?" Ron said, eyebrows rising in surprise.

"Yes," Teddy said, "it's generally accepted that casting a Shield Charm against Avada Kedavra is ineffective, but in reality, it does block a tiny fraction of the curses magical power. The general principle if we can weave hundreds, maybe even thousands of Shield Charms into a piece of clothing, the layers will eventually absorb the entire magical energy. Even if it doesn't stop it completely, it will at least stop a majority of its power, maybe only causing injury rather than death. I can show you the Arithmancy if you like."

This was met by a stunned silence.

Finally Harry spoke. "Gawain, with your permission, I'd like to take these two on-board within the Auror Office to begin working on developing these devices further straight away. Even if we can't stop the Killing Curse, having an effective defence against Stunning Spells, along with alternative weapons to wands could really tip the balance."

"Oh no you don't Potter." came a reedy voice from the corner as one of the Hit Wizards spoke up, "We're not disappearing this technology into your department for none of the rest of us to see again."

"How about a compromise," said the unidentified MLES Officer, "We take them on within the department as a whole, but working directly under Harry and using his Aurors as a test bed. I don't have the man-power to let my boys get shot at by toy guns, but unless a new Dark Lord comes knocking, the Aurors are generally maintained in a state of permanent readiness rather than day-to-day law enforcement."

"Are you implying that our Aurors are sitting around twiddling their thumbs Boot?" Ron said, smiling wryly. "Then again, I suppose it's better than chasing after under-age magic offenders.."

"Well, I wouldn't like to make any such accusations," The man laughed, "and given the accusations put against your effective department head when HE was an under-age wizard, I would say it's probably more dangerous than hexing cut-outs of Dark Wizards all day in the training room.."

There was a bit of political wrangling amongst the departmental heads, and some further playful banter between the Aurors and the MLES, but the suggestion that Teddy and Mike work under the Aurors in a department wide research and development role was generally considered the best. Robards quieted the discussion with a raise of his hands.

"Gentlemen, I have been very impressed with what I have seen here today. If you could please forward me some CVs, and we will be able to make you a formal offer, if that is acceptable to you?"

Mike and Teddy looked at each other and shrugged, before grinning. "We'll owl you later this week then." Mike replied.

The two of them shook hands with the various departmental heads, and were led out of Robards' office by Harry and Ron, and back into their own.

"Great performance in their lads, I'll be honest." Ron said, clapping them both on the shoulder. "Not seen Terry Boot that impressed since Hermione told him she could do a Protean Charm in 5th Year."

Teddy goggled at him, "Hermione could do a Protean Charm in her _fifth_ year?"

"Did Neville not show you his Dumbledore's Army coin?" Harry asked.

Mike smacked his head in a dramatic gesture. "That's how it worked! Bloody hell, it's so obvious."

"Hey, don't sweat it kid, they don't call the wife 'the brightest witch of her age' for no reason." Ron said, hardly trying to hide the pride in his voice.

They sat chatting for some time about some of the more questionable magic Ron and Harry may or may not have got up to during their time at Hogwarts, before the two of them decided they might have to do some work. Before they said their goodbyes, but just as they were leaving the door, Harry called after them.

"Oh yeah, it somehow completely slipped my mind that it's my birthday tomorrow." Harry said, grinning. "There'll be a big party at the Burrow as I'm sure Teddy already knows, but you'll be more than welcome to come along too Mike."

"Wow. Er, thanks Harry," Mike looked rather taken aback, "I'll have to let you know though, I've got a bit of an important conversation with the girlfriend to attend too first." He looked at Teddy significantly, implying that this would be 'the conversation.

"Ah, is this the Muggle girlfriend?" Harry said, knowingly.

"Yeah.." Mike said, looking rather confused how he'd known that.

Harry smiled, green eyes twinkling, "Well, if this conversation is the one Percy spoke to me about the other day, then best of luck. If it goes well, you can bring her along if you like."

With that he headed back into his office.

Mike gave Teddy a pointed look, who simply grinned impishly.

"Can't keep anything to your bloody self can you Lupin?" He said, though clearly not that upset. He checked his watch before adding, "Right, must dash. I'm going to see Chloe.. Might as well get one uninterrupted night of passion in before I drop the whole 'superpowers' bombshell!"

Teddy laughed and they made their way to the Atrium and Apparated away.

* * *

The evening of Harry's party arrived, and Teddy had foregone his usual fashion crisis before meeting Victoire by preparing what he was going to wear during the day. He examined his appearance in the mirror, a pair of dark blue jeans, a black trimmed grey cardigan, a white shirt unbuttoned at the neck with a thin black tie. As it was a special occasion, he'd even decided to wear a decent set of shoes, a pair of pointy Chelsea boots he'd seen the more artsy types in New York wear on his travels. He'd morphed his hair into a dark blue colour, styled into intricate spikes.

He glanced from the mirror to the side where a piece of parchment was rested on top of a stack of books. Though he'd practically memorised it by now, he crossed the floor to read it again.

He eyed the note first without really reading it, Victoire's handwriting was delicate and neat, and had a certain flowing beauty about it. Teddy had written to her almost immediately after returning home from the Ministry of Magic, explaining the offer Gawain Robards and Harry had made himself and Mike, barely containing his excitement as he scribbled it out. He read over her reply again,

_'Teddy,_

_WELL DONE! I knew you could do it! Seriously, that is an amazing offer, I am so proud of you._

_Of course I'll be going to Uncle Harry's party you prat, it is being held at my Grandmothers house after all.. The whole family will be there, plus the usual suspects from his office and years at Hogwarts._

_Now you're all important with your big job offer, I'm sure you'll have no time for us mere mortals, you'll have to hobnob around and 'network' or something. I will, of course, therefore taking over your role as official head of 'the kids' and have to initiate all the fun, which you are no longer allowed to take part in! :)_

_I joke of course, I'm sure I could be 'persuaded' to let you take part in some game if you're really nice. Maybe there'll be a game of Hide and Seek, and we can try and squeeze into our old hiding place under the bed in my Dad's old room, nobody ever found us under there! Might be a bit friendly now though, who knows what could happen.._

_Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night!_

_Yours,_

_Vic _

_xxxxxxxxxxx'_

He wasn't sure she could have been much more explicit in her intentions from that note, whilst still maintaining an air of innocent denial if someone other than him had read it. The mere thought of it made his heart beat much faster.

His mobile buzzed on the bedside table where it was currently sat, drawing him out of a vast array of inappropriate thoughts. He slid it open, and it indicated that he'd just received a text message from Mike.

_'Chloe arriving any second now, underwear status: brown (not really). Wish me luck! I'll see you later.. Hopefully :)'_

Teddy chuckled to himself, and sent a short reply wishing him luck. He slipped the phone into his pocket as his Grandmother was calling him from downstairs, indicating that they should get going if they did not want to be even more late.

They Flooed over to The Burrow, which was bustling with people. Harry's birthday (if the Daily Prophet was to be believed) was somewhat famous for being one of the best and most exclusive social events of the entire year. Privately, Harry often joked, it was actually just a gathering of his family, his close friends, and their families, and he couldn't help it if a lot of his oldest friends had decided to become big names in the Wizarding community themselves.

Instinctively, Teddy's eyes scanned the crowd for Victoire, but she was nowhere to be seen. Teddy suspected that she was in the garden, but getting there appeared to be a challenging prospect. His Grandmother had already disappeared into the crowd to talk to Minerva McGonnagal, the former Hogwarts Headmistress who had retired at the end of Teddy's third year. He began to push his way through, stopping to talk briefly with former Professors, assorted Weasley's and their spouses before making his way to the Kitchen and within sight of the back door. He fleetingly thought he was home free, before he was accosted by Ginny, who was standing with Professor Longbottom, his mild mannered former Herbology teacher.

"Ah Teddy, you're here." His Godmother said, hugging him briefly, then glancing at her watch, "The party only started half an hour ago, this has to be some sort of record for you."

"Well, I like to be fashionably late, as Professor Longbottom knows from 5 years of teaching me." Teddy said with a grin. The Gryffindor Head of House laughed.

"Harry said your friend might be coming?" Ginny continued, looking around him for Mike.

Teddy nodded, "Yeah, he's breaking the news to his girlfriend he has supernatural powers tonight, so depending on how that goes, he may put in an appearance. I think he was rather pleased to just receive an invite to be honest!"

"Well this is a rather exclusive shin-dig, if the society pages of the Prophet are to be believed.." Professor Longbottom said, chuckling to himself. "So am I to understand Williams is dating a Muggle? How long has that been going on?"

"Since we got back from our trip, but he knew her before he started Hogwarts." Teddy replied, moving over too the cooler cupboard and extracting himself a Refined Butterbeer, gesturing to Professor Longbottom with a second.

The teacher nodded, before knocking both the bottle caps off with his wand, "Interesting. Well I do hope he drops by, I like to catch up with all my old students, even the ones who took a slightly lackadaisical view on the rules. Yourself included Teddy."

Teddy laughed, but a flash of silver blonde hair in the back door distracted him from making a decent retort. Victoire was lent against the frame, smirking at him.

"Thought you'd got lost Lupin," she said, eyes dancing, "but I see I was right about you having no time for us mere mortals now you're all important.."

"Ha bloody ha Vic," Teddy said, not breaking eye contact, smirking back and taking a swig of his drink, "if you'd excuse me Ginny, Professor Longbottom."

Teddy moved toward the back door, and Victoire's smile grew even broader the closer he got. When he reached her, she turned, linking her arm through his and resting her head on his shoulder, as they moved into the back garden. He could have sworn he heard Professor Longbottom ask Ginny if he and Victoire were 'together', though her reply was lost in the background noise from the garden.

"Were you getting anxious without me?" Teddy said, the smirk evident in his voice.

Victoire swatted him on the stomach playfully, "I'm not answering that, you'll get a big head."

"Aww, you were!" Teddy laughed.

They reached the area where the children were playing, and sat down on a bench to watch, placing his beer on the table behind him. Victoire didn't let go of his arm, rather just leaning closer against to him, continuing to rest her head on his shoulder. "Anyway, I feel that we should at least duel for the leadership of this mob, I've been unfairly usurped!"

Victoire looked at him, eyebrow raised, "As if you could take me in a duel Lupin."

"Arm wrestle?" He tried, and Victoire just laughed.

"Perhaps I'll let you share with me, depends on how nice you are.." She said, biting on her lip and looking up at him in a rather sultry manner. They both broke into grins, before looking away shyly.

A throat was cleared nearby, and Teddy realised they'd gone off in their own little world. Nikki was looking at them suspiciously, eyebrow raised, hands on her hips and a somewhat knowing smirk on her face. Teddy hoped he wasn't blushing as bad as Victoire was, but suspected he was so turned to retrieve the drink he had placed behind him in a vain attempt to hide it.

"What's going on over here then?" she asked, eyeing them both curiously.

"Not a lot," Teddy said, "Victoire is trying to overthrow me as the leader."

Dominique hummed and rolled her eyes, "Mum wants you Vicky, she's just inside."

Victoire groaned, but disentangled herself from Teddy, stopping to kiss him quickly on the cheek before hopping up and making towards the door. Teddy followed her with his eyes as she did, then suddenly realised that Nikki may actually notice he was checking out her sisters bum and looked away quickly.

"Hey!" Nikki called after her, "Get me a drink on your way back will you.. Love you lots!" Victoire made a dramatic eye roll but nodded before continuing toward the house. Teddy just laughed as Nikki flopped down on the bench next to him. "So then Ted, heard you got offered a job by Uncle Harry."

"Yeah, me and Mike had an interview with his boss yesterday, we've got to send off our CVs and then they'll make us an offer."

"Sounds fun.." She sat and looked thoughtful for a moment and Teddy took a large sip of his beer before she continued, "So hey, is there something going on with you and Victoire?"

Teddy choked a little on his drink, having to hit himself in the chest so he could breathe again.

Nikki grinned at him, "Well, actions speak louder than words I guess."

"There's no way I'm going to be able to say to you there's not now, and you'll believe me, is there?" Teddy groaned.

"Not a chance." Nikki said, still grinning, before flicking her strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder, "Can't hide anything from me Ted."

"You always were a smart arse." Teddy said, and they both laughed. He looked over the back garden, and Victoire had reappeared, a bottle of normal Butterbeer in her hand.

"Well, I'll leave you love birds too it." Nikki said dramatically, before whispering to Teddy, "Don't worry about Glen either, he's a dick and she's mad about you, has been for years." Teddy felt his face grow hot, "Besides, I like you better too, and we all know that's what's important."

With that, Nikki gave him a cheeky smile, patted his leg, and jogged over to Victoire, taking her Butterbeer and heading back to where a pick-up game of Quidditch was being organised.

* * *

After the buffet dinner was served, and the cake was cut, the house itself was mostly deserted. The adults at the party had moved into the charmed garden and were chatting loudly amongst themselves. Teddy however found himself in the living room with 9 Weasleys, 3 Potters, 2 Scamanders, a Longbottom and several other children he couldn't identify.

Victoire was was trying (and failing) to make them be quiet in an attempt to organise some sort of game. She looked at Teddy with pleading eyes, who gave her a lop-sided grin, before flicking his wand, placing a silencing charm over them.

"All yours, dear leader." He said, patting her the leg, she beamed at him. A silenced Dominique mouthed 'watching you' at him with a smirk.

"First things first," Victoire said, addressing the silenced children, who were now very attentive, "the big kids council have decided that as I can do magic outside of school now, myself and Teddy are going to be joint leaders from now on."

There was a shuffling in the crowd, but well aware they had been silenced, there were no protests.

"Second, we will now take a suggestion for a game, hands up!" Several shot up, and Victoire pointed her wand at Freddie Weasley.

"Quidditch!" He exclaimed.

Victoire shook her head, "Half of the kids here can't fly Freddie, so that's out. Someone else?" She scanned the crowd and pointed it this time at Lily Potter.

"Hide and Seek!" She squealed.

Victoire looked at Teddy, eyes twinkling, "Everybody who wants to play Hide and Seek, hands up!"

Several enthusiastic and several more tentative hands were raised into the air.

"Well," Teddy said, standing up, "looks like it's Hide and Seek. Lily, you have to find people first as you chose. Close your eyes and count to 100!" He flicked his wand and unsilenced the crowd who began to scatter as the small redhead started to count.

Teddy offered his hand to Victoire who took it, and he pulled her out of the sofa they had been sat on. Rather than let his hand go when she was standing, Victoire intertwined her fingers with his, as they headed towards the stairs.

The upper floors of the Burrow were chaos, as the children ran round trying to find decent hiding places. Teddy and Victoire passed them all, climbing to the third floor which housed Arthur and Molly's room (out of bounds), and Bill's old room. For some reason, in the panic, many of the younger kids never made it past the first or second floors, usually ending up in Georges' old room, due to it often containing many amusing Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products.

Hand in hand still, Teddy pushed open the door and they entered the small but cosy room. In nearly 10 years of playing this game, Teddy had never been found in this particular hiding place. In one memorable game when he was about 11, Victoire had asked him where exactly he was going to stay so well hidden. He had shown her and now it was their secret hiding place.

Teddy lifted the fabric skirting which surrounded the bed, releasing Victoire's hand and pointed his wand under the bed, vanishing the dust that had gathered. He then slid himself under, followed closely by Victoire.

When they had been children, the space under the single bed had seemed cavernous. Now however, as they were both fully grown it was rather more cosy. Teddy slid back so he was almost against the wall to give Victoire space, but she just moved closer, resting her head on his outstretched arm and wrapping her own arm round his chest. Teddy was sure she must be able to hear his heart pounding in his chest.

Silence fell in the dark space under the bed, only punctuated by their breathing. Teddy's eyes slowly began to adjust to the dark and he looked down at Victoire who was studying his face intently.

"I feel I should make some sort of joke about getting you into bed at this point." Teddy said, with a smile.

Victoire swatted his chest, but smiled too, "And you didn't even buy me a drink," she replied with a giggle, "though technically we are under the bed, rather than in it."

"Well, maybe next time I will, if that's what it takes." He smirked, his voice slightly husky.

Victoire blushed and silence fell again. Teddy was quite to content just to lay there looking at her, she really was incredibly beautiful. Almost on impulse, he reached with his free hand, brushing the hair out of her face and behind her ear. He left his hand, cupping her chin, gently stroking her face with the pad of his thumb.

She smiled at him once more, closing her eyes and sighing softly, her own hand tracing lazy circles on his upper arm.

"What are you thinking?" She said, long eyelashes fluttering open.

Usually, this was the question that terrified men everywhere, perhaps due to a Y Chromosome allowing the ability to not be thinking about anything at all, rather just lay and be content. However, Teddy knew exactly what he was thinking right now.

"How I could quite happily lay here, with you, forever." He replied, causing Victoire's cheeks to flush slightly in the dark.

"Good answer." she said, smiling shyly at him.

Victoire twisted, her shoulders gently nudging the forearm Teddy had placed under her head out the way, pulling her head was level with his, moving her hand from his chest up to nape of his neck, gently running her fingers through his hair. Almost instinctively, Teddy moved too, twisting his own body so they were nose to nose, his hand moving from Victoire's face down to her flank, lightly stroking it through the thin cotton of her dress.

He knew what was coming next. The hand on the back of his neck was pressing very gently, and he let it guide his face towards hers, twisting his head slightly to the right as he moved, eyes closing as he did.

Their lips met, a delicate and fleeting hello at first, moving gently together, but quickly becoming increasingly hungry and enthusiastic, tongues dancing with each other. Teddy shifted his body closer to hers, pulling Victoire tighter into their embrace. The pressure on the back of his head from her hand increased as the kiss became more frenzied, scrunching his hair and releasing it in time with their lips, causing goosebumps to raise on the back of his neck. It was a wonderful, blissful abandon kissing Victoire, Teddy mused, and he wanted nothing more than this to never end.

It did of course, just as lack of oxygen began to multiply the fuzzy feelings in Teddy's brain. They pulled apart, foreheads resting on each other, breath heavy and ragged, eyes staring deeply at one another. Victoire moved quickly, placing one short, sweet kiss on his lips again, almost teasing, before moving back to look into his eyes once more.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that for." Victoire said, still breathing heavily, face deeply flushed. "You have been infuriatingly dense for many years."

Teddy smiled, sliding his had free so he could stroke the side of her face and hair once more. "How long?" He asked, his own voice breathy as it left his lips.

"Since you left for Hogwarts," she said, a shy smile playing on her lips, "I cried and cried, and had this funny feeling right here," She placed her hand on his heart, "I didn't work out what exactly it was until a bit later though."

Teddy's insides soared, and he lent and kissed the tip of her nose. "Sorry for being dense," He said, as she moved her hand from his heart to cup his face, touching his cheek with delicate thumb strokes, "though with the clarity of hindsight, I've always felt like this about you, I just needed a kick up the arse to realise what 'this' was."

Victoire's thumb stopped moving, her fingers instead beginning to play with the hair behind his ear which caused Teddy to suck in a breath. She looked at him with intense seriousness, her voice barely above a whisper, "And what is that?"

"Vic," He said, closing his eyes and taking a very deep breath, letting it out slowly, "Vic, I'm in love with you. Madly, deep.."

He was cut off as her lips crashed into his once more, her hand gripping the back of his neck, holding his face against hers with almost unfeasible strength, her fingers wound in his hair once more. It was less a kiss and more a pouring declaration of things that had passed between them for years, hidden deep or left implied, which all brought into a stark clarity by one single word: love.

When she released him, her cheeks were glowing and eyes bright and sparkling. As her fingertips danced from his temple to his jawline, she simply said, heartfelt and husky, "I love you too Teddy."

* * *

It was after an hour or so of impassioned kissing and murmured conversation that it was becoming quite clear that nobody was going to find them. As they broke apart, lips swollen and hair tussled, Victoire mumbled that maybe they should consider getting up.

"I'm quite comfortable here, I'll be honest." Teddy said, punctuating his sentence with a kiss.

Victoire giggled, but shook her head, "Because nobody is going to wonder where we've got too at all."

"Well, what could a ruggedly handsome Metamorphamageous and a beautiful girl such as yourself be doing, hidden away for all this time?"

"I'll let you know when he turns up" Victoire said, laughing.

Teddy prodded her in the stomach, "Cheeky."

Victoire made to slide out from under the bed, but Teddy grasped her waist, pulling her back towards him, kissing her deeply. After several more moments however, she pushed him away.

"Come on, there's plenty of time for that.." she said, moving out into the room and getting too her feet.

Reluctantly, Teddy followed, clambering out and dusting himself down. Victoire smiled at him, before pulling him into a tight hug, having to look up now to meet his eyes. Teddy swooped down and kissed her once more, this time having to overcome their half a foot of height difference, Victoire having to raise herself onto her tiptoes.

"I think I preferred it when we were laid down." Victoire mumbled into his chest after the broke apart.

Teddy smiled, and gestured behind him, "Well, there is a bed just there.."

Victoire smacked him on the bum, "Behave." she said, grabbing his hand and tugging him toward the door.

They walked slowly out onto the landing, and down onto the second floor landing, where they were spotted by Rose Weasley, who put her hands on her hips, looking exasperated, in a brilliant imitation of her mother.

"There you are!" She said, speaking directly to Victoire, "We've been looking for you for ages, when we couldn't find you, we decided to start a new game without you!"

"Well, you've found us now Rosie," Teddy said with a smile, "well done."

Rose blushed deeply as Teddy spoke to her, and nodded slightly too enthusiastically, running off without saying another word.

Victoire looked at Teddy with an amused smile, "Seems you've got more than one Weasley entranced by you Mr Lupin.."

Teddy turned and placed his hands on her waist, "Good job I've only got eyes for one then isn't it?" He said, kissing her softly on the lips.

They broke apart again, making their way to the ground floor, where they were met by a small rabble of kids being entertained by Dominique. When she spotted them reaching the bottom of the stairs, she made a dopey looking face, batting her eyelashes and created a heart with her hands, causing Victoire to mouth something very unladylike at her whilst blushing heavily. Teddy just shrugged and laughed.

They moved out into the garden, where Teddy immediately noticed they were being closely observed by Ginny. He had a feeling that it was going to be a long evening.

Teddy and Victoire separated shortly after that, in a futile attempt to avoid suspicion. He found himself speaking to Harry and Ron once more, discussing a few of his and Mike's more radical ideas, some of which involved the use of actual Muggle law enforcement equipment which had been magically enhanced. Harry was especially keen to find a way to implement a radio-like communication system, which he felt would greatly enhance their tactical advantage.

As the evening was winding down, Teddy's phone rang in his pocket, causing a couple of startled looks from those not so well informed about Muggle technology. It was Mike, and Teddy suddenly felt incredibly anxious for his friend.

"Mr Williams," He said, hoping he'd hidden his nerves. "how'd it go?"

"_Alright mate,_" came back Mike's voice, and just from his tone, Teddy could tell it had gone as well as his own night had, "_well, brilliantly well to be honest. How's things at your end?_"

Teddy smiled broadly even though he knew Mike couldn't see. "Amazing. Me and Vic, well.."

Mike laughed into the phone, "_Well indeed. So, I promised Chloe her first foray into the Wizarding world tomorrow, Leaky Cauldron at 11 dude. Bring Vicky too, I'm sure Chlo' would like to see her again.._"

"I expect this is also because you want to make some Smart Alec remarks about us two as well, isn't it?"

"_Maybe._" He replied, and Teddy could hear the smirk through the phone, "_Be there or be a quadrilateral shape mate. Tell Harry thanks for the invite, by the way._"

Hanging up the phone and replacing it in his pocket, he immediately sought out Victoire to tell her the good news. Though many people had now left or were in the process of leaving, it was still rather manic at the Burrow and when he finally found her, she was deep in conversation with Fleur and Ginny. Both of women looked at Teddy with very, very knowing smiles.

"Excuse me," He said, placing his hand on the small of Victoire's back, causing Ginny to raise an eyebrow, "Vic, could I speak to you a moment?"

She didn't say anything, but nodded, turning away from the amused gazes of her mother and Aunt. Teddy led her across the garden, to a somewhat more secluded corner.

"They've been trying to trick me into saying something about you for the last half an hour, you know?" Victoire said, as they sat down in the grass under an Oak tree, far from the watchful eyes of parents and relatives. Victoire wrapped her arms round his waist and placed her head on his shoulder once more. "I was doing quite a good job too, then you swan over and practically gave the game away, you git."

Teddy laughed, her tone was not accusing, but more amused, "Sorry." he said, planting a kiss on the top of her head, "So, Mike told Chloe tonight, about you know what. Seems like she took it rather well, as he decided to blow off the social event of the year to spend some alone time with her."

"Well, I can't blame him," Victoire said, looking at Teddy, "if we could get away with it, me and you could have Apparated somewhere more private ages ago.."

The implication was not lost on Teddy, and neither was the blush on Victoire's cheeks, "You say that now.."

They both laughed, and Teddy lent down and placed delicate kiss on her lips, and they smiled at each other.

"He wants us to come to the Leaky Cauldron at 11, he's taking Chloe for her first visit. I think he wants backup.. If you want to come, of course."

Victoire just hugged him tighter, "Of course I do, you dope. We might have to tone this back though.."

"Embarrassed to be out in public with the likes of me Weasley?" Teddy said, voice laughing, but insides panicking suddenly, having a feeling where this conversation was headed.

"Well," Victoire said, fixing him with a stare, "I haven't officially ditched by boyfriend for you yet, people may talk. Plus I've got about a million family members who'll definitely spot us.."

Teddy took a deep breath, and avoided her eyes, "You're rather nonchalant about dumping Glen.."

Victoire placed her index finger on his jaw, so he was looking directly at her once more, "Teddy, I've been in love with you since I had a coherent understanding of what the word meant." She kissed him gently on the lips, "Glen was just another failed attempt to convince myself that I wasn't. As soon as he's back, I'm telling him it's over."

"Good." Teddy said, insides quelled.

He kissed her with everything he had, a demonstration he hoped of exactly how much he loved her in return, even if it had taken longer for him to figure it out. To Teddy, it seemed the most natural thing in the world, kissing Victoire.

After what may have been either a second or a week, a voice called her name from the distance, and they broke apart, lips swollen and hair eschew once more. Victoire ran her hand from his hair to his cheek, gently cupping it, smiling into his eyes.

"I've got to go.." She said, clearly not really wanting to leave.

"I know." Teddy replied, voice low and deep, expressing a similar sentiment.

Victoire placed a final powerful kiss on his lips, before jumping to her feet. Teddy scrambled up after her, pulling her into a tight embrace, closing his eyes and just breathing her in for a moment, gently stroking her back.

"I love you Teddy." She murmured into his chest for the final time that evening.

Though Teddy had his eyes closed, he knew she was smiling when she said it.

"I love you too."


	7. Teddy's Battle

**Chapter 6 - Teddy's Battle**

When Teddy awoke the next morning, he couldn't help but fall back into his bed with a great sigh of contentment. For one fleeting moment, he wondered if the previous evening had all been a dream, because it was clearly too good to be true. However, as the memories came flooding back, he smiled, a broad grin spreading slowly across his face.

His Grandmother was waiting for him when he reached the kitchen, having washed and dressed ready to meet Mike and the now 'magically aware' Chloe. Andromeda gestured to where a bacon sandwich and cup of tea were sat on the table ready for him. Teddy plopped down into one of the chairs and began to devour his late breakfast.

"Teddy," Andromeda said, her voice calm, but reserved. "I think we need to have a quick chat."

He couldn't help the confused expression that likely crossed his face, glancing up at her, where she was eyeing him in a strange manner. "About what Gran?"

"About Victoire."

The words left her mouth and Teddy felt his insides turn to ice. He suddenly wasn't very hungry. "What about Victoire?" He replied, trying to not let his anxiety appear in his voice.

"Teddy Lupin, if you two think you're being clever with the way you were acting yesterday, rest assured, everybody knows." She said, her voice still calm.

Now Teddy couldn't help but panic, whilst he got on incredibly well with all of Victoire's family, that was as a family friend, not as _the boyfriend_. He suspected that Ron, Charlie, George, maybe Percy and especially Bill would like to have a little chat with him.

His face must have betrayed him, as his Grandmother laughed, "Perhaps I should be more clear, all of Victoire's Aunts know, as does her mother. Her Uncles and father are slightly more dense in that regard, it's a trait of the male Weasley's."

"Er, well. I.." Was all Teddy managed to say, before his Grandmother held her hand up to cut him off.

"Teddy, they don't disapprove. In fact, I must confess we've been joking about this happening since Victoire was born! I do believe there may be some sort of pool between Ginny, Angelina, Audrey and Hermione." Teddy, despite himself, laughed at this. Andromeda continued, "However, the fact of the matter is, she still has a boyfriend, and that needs to be addressed before you two can pursue this relationship proper. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes Gran." Teddy replied, feeling somewhat better. "We actually spoke about this yesterday. As soon as he's back from holiday she's ending it with him."

His Grandmother smiled at this, "You're a good boy Teddy, even if you do take after your Godfather too much sometimes. I'd imagine Ginevra and Victoire could compare notes."

Teddy blushed profusely at this. Being compared to his Godfather was one thing, but having his relationship with Victoire compared to that of his happily married with three children Godparents was another thing entirely. He ate the rest of his breakfast in silence, appetite returning.

He Apparated straight to the Leaky Cauldron after placing his plate and mug in the sink, where the enchanted brush immediately began to scrub them clean. Victoire had suggested that they arrive separately to the pub, and Teddy was rather glad of that, as he was unsure he'd actually be able to meet Bill Weasley's eye.

As soon as he appeared in the bar, he spotted Mike and Chloe sat in a booth with Victoire, who smiled brightly at him. Mike shook his head, holding up his wrist and tapping his watch.

"I'm not that late!" Teddy protested, checking his own watch, "Well, 10 minutes, but still!"

Everybody laughed, and Victoire scooted along the seat in the booth to make room for him. Teddy sat down, and Victoire slipped her hand into his under the table.

"I'm watching you two.." Mike said, big grin on his face, "No shenanigans in the pub bogs or anything." Chloe smacked him on the chest, but he kept smiling regardless.

Victoire sighed, "Ten minutes of this I've been subjected too.. You know Teddy, maybe you should consider getting new friends."

Mike made noises of outrage, causing Chloe to roll her eyes. "So my dear," He said, gesturing grandly at the Leaky Cauldron, "how do you like the gateway to the Wizarding world?"

"It's a pub." Chloe dead panned, though Teddy couldn't help notice her eyes flicking all over the place taking it in.

"Yes well, I thought I'd break you in easy." He said, slipping out of the booth and heading toward the bar. "Don't think you're quite ready to meet a Goblin just yet."

He shot her a winning smile and she stuck her tongue out at him as he left.

"Sometimes I'm not sure if he's taking the piss or not when he says stuff like that." Chloe sighed, shaking her head, "So you two are magic as well then?"

"Afraid so," Teddy said, "Vic and I were both brought up in the Wizarding world, so if you caught us saying anything odd the other day, that's probably what it was. I think we did OK though."

"Yeah, you did. I wasn't expecting this at all. When Mike told me he was going to show me his wand, I.. Well." Chloe blushed deeply, causing Teddy and Victoire to laugh. "So, tell me about yourselves, properly this time. I mean, Mike has tried to fill me in, but it's a lot to take in."

Teddy started, "I supposed I'll just correct what I've told you before, it's still pretty true, just with a bit of a spin on it. My name is still Teddy Lupin, Mike and I met on the train to school, and we were both sorted into Gryffindor, one of the school houses. We spent many years being pains to all concerned and I left with NEWTs in Arithmancy, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms and Potions."

Chloe smiled, but her face took a thoughtful expression, as if wondering whether it was appropriate to say something.

Teddy caught on, remembering their first conversation in the pub in Reading. "My parents _are _dead, but they weren't in the Army. My Mum was an Auror, which is the name for a Dark Wizard catcher, my Dad had a lot of jobs, but he was most proud of being a teacher. They were killed in The Battle of Hogwarts, which was the final battle of the Second Wizarding War."

Victoire gripped his hand very tightly under the table, and Teddy smiled at her. Chloe looked genuinely shocked. "I'm sorry. Mike has told me a bit about that war. It's one of the only times I've seen him be serious to be honest."

That remark made Teddy laugh and the mood relaxed instantly.

"What about you Victoire? I mean, I remember you said your parents work in a bank.." Chloe said.

"Oh they do!" She said, brightly, "They work in Gringotts, the Wizarding Bank. We'll pop in there later, I suppose. Mike wasn't joking about the Goblins either, they run the bank."

"So, it's just like a normal bank right, other than the fact it's run by _Goblins_." She said the last word in a whisper, as if it was some big secret.

"Well kinda, they did used to have Dragon in the depths of the place, but my Uncle Harry, Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron stole it.." Victoire grinned.

"I'm not sure I even want to know." Chloe said, placing her face in her palm, "I'm not sure how you're gonna top that one Teddy."

Teddy remembered something that he had also kept from her, "Oh yeah? Well, thanks to the miracle of genetics, I can also do this.." He changed his hair from his usual black to Victoire's blonde, then onto bright blue.

That made Chloe's mouth drop. "That is so cool.." Was all she managed to say.

Mike reappeared. placing a tray full of Butterbeer on the table. "Oh that's nothing, do it properly Lupin."

Teddy smiled, hiding his head under the table to hide the transformation from Chloe. He reappeared a perfect imitation of Mike.

"Awright Chlo', my name is Mike Williams, and I'm a faaaking great big dipshit!"

Chloe just looked totally astounded, so Teddy transformed back into himself. Mike smacked him round the back of the head. "I don't sound like Dick Van bloody Dyke, shit-for-brains."

It took Chloe a fair while, but she finally managed to get a handle what she had just seen. Looking between the three of them, she asked "So, anything else you want to get out of the way now? You know, one of you is a vampire, or a werewolf or something?"

Teddy and Victoire looked at each other and laughed.

* * *

They sat there chatting to Chloe for some time, she had lots of questions about practically everything, before heading out into Diagon Alley. Chloe was a little awestruck when she saw the place, but thankfully managed to keep her excitement in check. They toured Gringotts and the many shops, including Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, where George gladly demonstrated some new products for his nieces friends.

Around 4, Chloe was beginning to look rather overloaded by it all, so she and Mike headed back to Reading (using the train, as it was deemed unlikely that she'd manage to be taken Side-Along without vomiting), leaving Teddy and Victoire alone.

"So.." Teddy said, scuffing his foot on the floor awkwardly, hands in his pockets, "What do you want to do now?"

Victoire said nothing, but smiled rather wickedly, pulled out her wand, gripped his arm and turned on the spot.

With a loud crack they reappeared on the beach near Shell Cottage, the sun still shining brightly down on them and a cool sea breeze blowing in their face. Victoire flicked her wand, conjuring a large beach towel and tugged Teddy down onto the ground beside her. Almost as soon as he hit the ground, Victoire was kissing him with such a passion that it made Teddy's mind go numb.

An incalculable amount of time passed, and Teddy found himself getting lost in her once again. Victoire was now sat straddling his lap, both hands in his hair, while Teddy's hands had wandered under her top. There was also the quite obvious problem that certain parts of his anatomy were coming into contact with certain parts of hers, causing very forthcoming 'excitement issues'.

"Vic.." Teddy said, trying to stop himself, but not a particularly good job of it, especially as Victoire started to nibble his ear. "Vic wait."

She pulled back, breathing heavy and something very new was lurking in her eyes as she looked deep into his, causing him to have second thoughts about what he was about to say. A very large part of his brain was currently telling his conscience to shut the hell up, but in the end, his sense won out. "We can't Vic, not with.. _you-know-who _still on the scene."

"You didn't seem to have a problem with it yesterday." she said, looking slightly offended.

Teddy tried to find the right words, "It's not that I don't want too, because believe me, I really, _really_ want too."

Victoire ground her hips into his, causing Teddy to groan, "I can tell."

"Merlin, don't make this harder than it already is." Victoire giggled at his turn of phrase, "You've got a filthy mind!"

As Teddy tried to compose himself, Victoire sighed, planted one last kiss on his lips and climbed out of his lap. Certain parts of his brain were now calling other parts very nasty names indeed.

"I know," She said, pulling him back down onto the blanket and snuggling into his arms, "I know it's not right, but it's just.."

"Like you get lost in the moment?" Teddy said, and Victoire nodded, "I feel exactly the same way, but we can't do this, not yet anyway. It's not right, and I don't want us to start out like this, it kinda.. cheapens it a bit I think."

Victoire sighed and snuggled tighter into Teddy's chest, "When did you get all moral compass Teddy Lupin?"

"Since my Gran told me this morning to knock this on the head until you've ditched Glen or else, pretty much." Teddy laughed, but this comment made Victoire's head snap up, too see if he was winding her up.

Victoire looked at him incredulously, "You told your Grandmother?" Her tone was more amused than alarmed.

"No, she guessed." Teddy smirked, "So have all your Aunts.. and your Mum."

Her head fell back down, as if trying to hide from an unseen observer by burying her face in his t-shirt, and she groaned into his chest. "I blame you for this regardless, I hope you know that."

Teddy laughed, "Apparently Ginny, Hermione, Audrey and Angelina had a pool on when we'd get together, or so my Gran says."

The comment hung in the air for a couple of seconds before they both burst out laughing. Teddy attempted to compose himself, but Victoire broke the silence again by simply saying, "I wonder who won?" and they were both off in a fit of giggles once more.

* * *

The following day was one of the most nerve-wracking of Teddy's life so far. Glen would be returning from his holiday and Victoire was going to speak to him, to end their relationship with the revelation that not only did she not feel the same, but that she was in fact madly in love with her oldest friend. He knew she loved him, but Glen was, as Mike put it, 'a manipulative little ballbag' who would probably whine, moan and maybe even cry to try and win Victoire back over.

His Grandmother had gone to visit some friends for a couple of days, so Teddy was actually alone in their home and incredibly bored. He attempted to stem off the feelings of helplessness that were washing over him by reading a book, but found it difficult to become settled on his Grandmothers sofa.

He instead found himself flicking through some property pamphlets, both Wizard and Muggle, that Mike owled to him with a simple note: 'Me, you, one flat, one fridge full of beers. You know it makes sense.'

Teddy was examining a cosy looking two bed flat in somewhere called 'Camden' when another owl fluttered into the room, dropping an expensive looking green and silver piece of card. Teddy flicked it over and smiled as he read it:

_'TO: __**Ted Lupin**__, you are cordially invited to celebrate the birth of __**RHODDY EDWARDS**__ at the Wizards Retreat pub.'_

Then as personal post-script, added in scruffy handwriting, _'Haven't seen you for like two years man! Bring your wallet, you definitely owe me a pint.. - Rhod'_

The date was for the coming Saturday night and couldn't help but grin at the mayhem which would likely ensue at the party, despite its rather stuffy invitation. Rhoddy Edwards was a member of _the _Edwards family, Wales' oldest Pureblood dynasty, owners of the Holyhead Harpies and assorted other serious holdings throughout the Wizarding world. Though they had never been Voldemort supporters, the family had always been Slytherin and had the lingering blood-purity beliefs of the older families. However Rhoddy had never shown any sign of this during Teddy's tenure at Hogwarts, and was actually a fairly good friend of his and Mike's, which considering their own blood-status' was always a good sign.

He had the jet black hair and bright blue eyes of his Celtic origins and spoke in the rolling, almost musical accent of the South Wales valleys. Rhoddy had been Head Boy of Teddy's year, the first Slytherin Head Boy since before the War in fact (if you discounted the year Severus Snape was Headmaster, which most people did), and was somewhat of a heartthrob to the ladies the castle. Mike had once told him he had all the qualities of his house; Pure blood, _ambition _to sleep with every single female in Hogwarts and, if rumours were to be believed, he was a very _cunning _linguist.

Teddy grinned, if Rhoddy was throwing a party it was sure to be a good one.

The invitation lifted his spirit and soon found himself laid comfortably on his bed, reading a very battered copy of _'The Picture of Dorian Gray' _he had been given by a floppy haired drunken philosopher known only as Jonesy, who he had met in New Zealand. Mike said by even considering reading it, he made himself a literary ponce.

He found himself getting lost in the novel and didn't notice as the time seemed to fly past, causing him to nearly jump off his bed in shock when he heard the crack of someone Apparating downstairs.

"Teddy?" A soft voice came, and he identified it immediately.

"I'm up here." He replied, chucking the book on the side and quickly kicking some dirty clothes into a corner.

Victoire made her way up the stairs slowly, and when she appeared in the doorway, Teddy could tell she had been crying, and he felt a very real urge to go smash Glen Anderson's stupid face in. He pulled her immediately into a big hug and Victoire tried to keep up the brave face she had been putting on, but still held him very tightly.

They broke apart after some time, and Victoire wiped her eyes, looking slightly better. Teddy sat down on his bed, and patted the spot next to him. She sat down, wrapped her arms round his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm not even really sure why I'm upset really." She said, "Just being a girl I think."

"And we all know girls are stupid, and that's why I'm in charge." Teddy replied, using a phrase from their childhood.

Victoire laughed. "I think we might have to change that saying too now."

"First you make me change 'Teddy is always right' and now you want to get rid of 'Girls are stupid and that's why I'm in charge'?" He laughed in return, "I'm not sure I'm happy with all these conditions."

This made Victoire giggle, and that in turn made Teddy smile. "How is it you don't even try and make me feel better, but I feel better anyway?"

"It's a skill." Teddy replied coolly, flopping backwards onto his bed, hands behind his head, smirking at her.

Victoire twisted to look at him, eyebrow raised while trying to hide her own grin, "How ever did I fall in love with such a cocky prat?"

Teddy looked thoughtful for a moment before responding. "It's my roguish charm, clearly."

She made to swat him, but Teddy caught her hand and began to tickle her without mercy. It was a battle of wills, but Teddy was much stronger than Victoire, and soon had her pinned down, arms above her head, his legs resting on hers so she couldn't kick him. He smirked down at her, but given the look in her eyes she was not that bothered. It was the same look she had given him on the beach after their impassioned kissing, and it was clear to Teddy that it was a look that meant only one thing: desire.

Teddy smirked at her, knowing she was powerless to do anything about it. Leaning down slowly, as if to kiss her but stopping short, pulling back and teasing her. He did this again and she strained against his restraint, forcing her chest and head towards him, but he kept out of her reach. A third time made her whimper slightly when he pulled away, eyes burning into his with annoyance and further heated desire. As he moved in for the forth time, she hissed out as he started to move away.

"Please Te.." She didn't finish her sentence as he kissed her finally; releasing her hands and they immediately gripped him tightly.

The passion that had consumed them earlier in the week was even more feverish now, as they rolled around in Teddy's bed, with no chance of interruption, no boyfriends to worry about and just indulging the simple pleasure of being with each other.

Minutes or perhaps hours passed before they broke apart again, legs intertwined and both breathing very heavily. At some point Teddy's shirt had been tossed across the room, his belt unbuckled and the buttons on his jeans pulled apart, Victoire's dress had been pulled over her head and lay rumpled on the floor in a heap.

Teddy traced small patterns on her upper thigh, every now and then coming into contact with a rather small piece of underwear and grinning to himself each time he did, all while trying not to break his neck as he prevented himself from staring at her chest.

Victoire's smiled teasingly as her hands danced on his own bare chest, causing goosebumps to rises where her fingers gracefully drew their own patterns.

"Teddy," she said, seriously all of a sudden, looking at him with an almost puzzled expression, "can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything, you know that." Teddy replied, with inkling of where this conversation may be headed.

"I mean, you don't have to answer if you don't want too or anything." Victoire bit her lip thoughtfully, "OK, I'll just say it. I was wondering how many girls you've... you know. I mean, I don't really care, it's just.. I'm babbling aren't I?"

"Yes.. But to answer your question, five." Teddy said, plainly. He didn't want to hide anything from Victoire. She didn't say anything for a minute, but Teddy felt compelled to ask, "Do you mind if I.."

She cut him off, "Two." She looked at him, blue eyes almost desperate for a response.

"Vic, I don't care. I don't care who they are, I don't care when it was, I don't care how it went, I don't care about any of that. All I care about is now, me and you." Teddy lent and kissed the end of her nose. "Me and you are, well.. It's me and you. I love you."

Victoire beamed at him, her hand suddenly stopping its motion on his chest. She lent forward herself and Teddy thought she was going to kiss him, but she moved past his lips until he could feel her breath on his ear.

She whispered quietly, but he could hear her words clear as day.

"How would you like to make it six Mr Lupin?"

Teddy didn't need any more encouragement than that.

* * *

Teddy and Victoire stole more moments like this; when his grandmother or her parents and siblings were out of the house, and one time where they had both Apparated down to the beach by her house late into the night. Teddy was still finding sand in his bits.

The week passed and the weekend was soon upon them. Mike had also received an invite to the party, so Chloe was about to get her first experience of a night out 'Wizard style' whilst Teddy and Victoire were about to go out as a couple for the first time. They had initially spoken about putting on a front that they weren't together, just in case there were prying eyes who would report back to the Weasley's, but it was decided that they had nothing to hide really, especially not from the rest of the world.

While Teddy thought it was a bit wrong for them to be going on their first night out together without him coming to collect her, Victoire decided that would probably be a bad idea. Neither of them liked lying to her Dad, but they had begun to notice that when Victoire saw Teddy since their encounter in his bedroom, whatever latent Veela abilities she had began to project themselves powerfully, and she seemed to almost shimmer in the light. There was no doubt in either of their minds that Bill would miss the implication of his daughters reaction to her 'best friend'.

So it was agreed that they would arrive separately at the Leaky Cauldron, and walk to the Wizard's Retreat together.

As this was a party for their friend in Slytherin, Teddy morphed his hair so it was a dark red with gold spikes, feeling it was only appropriate to show his house pride. Donning a white t-shirt and a pair of black skinny jeans, he was suitably under dressed for what was sure to be a party of people wearing very fancy dress robes. He had been a bit dubious about the jeans when he had first bought them, especially after the ribbing Mike had given him ('you great emo wanker..'), but had actually grown to love them.

He Apparated to the bar at the Leaky Cauldron, and Victoire was lent against the bar waiting for him. Teddy's brain stopped working when he caught sight of her.

Victoire was an incredibly beautiful girl in t-shirts and jeans, in the highly unflattering Hogwarts robes and especially so in the summer dresses she had taken to wearing recently. So how she looked in a dress she had clearly bought from a Muggle shop was quite difficult for Teddy to describe, as he wasn't sure the correct words for it had been invented. The dress however was certainly black, and short, and very very flattering. That was the sum total of what his brain could comprehend at the moment.

"Am I going to take that look to mean you approve of my new dress?" Victoire said, flattening the skirt down and looking incredibly amused. "Put your tongue back in Lupin."

"You know, I'm suddenly wondering why we're going to this party at all.. I've been struck with a whole host of other things I'd rather be doing right now."

Victoire laughed and walked towards him, wrapping her arms round his waist and kissed him delicately on the lips.

"Behave yourself," she said, releasing him and taking his hand, tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder, "and we'll see what happens later."

"Tease." Teddy grinned at her, "I've got a feeling I'm gonna have to literally duel ever single bloke in this place tonight."

"That would fall into the category of not behaving." She laughed. "Come on, you might like being late, but I don't.."

They made their way from the Leaky Cauldron towards the Wizards Retreat. Teddy might as well have not been attached to Victoire at all from the looks she was getting from passers by, but she had eyes for only him. The shimmering glow that she seemed to emit when he was nearby was particularly apparent in the dimming evening light.

"Bloody Merlin, it's rammed in here.." Victoire said, as they pushed open the door to the pub. "Half of Hogwarts is here!"

"I think I can see Mike." Teddy said, and they made their way towards where the towering blonde head of Mike lurked near the bar.

They stopped several times on their way too him, being stopped by various former and current classmates, most of whom commented on Victoire's amazing appearance, Teddy's tattoo or both. One girl, Sarah Chambers, a room mate of Victoire's at Hogwarts actually squealed with delight when she saw their intertwined hands, commenting on how she'd known it was going to happen for years.

"You know a remarkably large amount of people failed to mention 'they knew this was going to happen' _before_ we got together, don't you think?" Teddy whispered in Victoire's ear as they walked away, causing her to giggle.

Mike spotted them as they approached, and he waved them over. Chloe still looked a little in awe of the fact the lights were floating, that there were two Goblins in the corner and that a man by the bar had just jovially cast the Jelly-Legs Jinx on his friend as he made his way to the toilet. She was wearing a dress too, and smiled broadly when she saw them both approaching, apparently feeling slightly out of place in a room full of robes. Mike too had noticed her attire and looked Victoire up and down, then cocked an eyebrow at her.

"You are aware you're kinda glowing right?" He said, with a smirk, making it clear that he wasn't going to comment on her dress at all.

"Piss off Michael."

Mike just laughed, before turning to Teddy, "Mate, your girlfriend has a filthy mouth."

* * *

They had been in the place nearly an hour before the birthday boy himself appeared at their table, carrying a pint of beer in either hand. Rhoddy was wearing well cut robes of midnight blue and wore the slightly glassy expression of someone who had already had several drinks.

"Teddy! How are you butt?" He said, depositing his beers on the table and slinging his arm round Teddy's shoulders. He suddenly realised who else was there, and gestured wildly with his free hand, nearly knocking a small Wizard flying, "And Mike! Is this the bloody Gryffindor section or somethin'?"

"Alright Rhod, good birthday so far?" Teddy said as the broad Welshman disentangled himself from his shoulders to shake Mike's hand.

"Bloody marvellous!" He said, picking his beer up and taking a large gulp, nearly choking on it when he saw who was stood next to Teddy. "Victoire, is that you babe? Bloody Merlin, you look amazin'!"

Rhoddy put his drink down and gave Victoire a massive hug, spinning her round while Victoire laughed. Teddy just shook his head and placed his palm over his face at his antics.

"Hey Rhod, nice to see you too!"

"You're not still hanging round with these two ugly buggers are you? I'll be honest, you can do much better" He grinned, then seemed to spot Chloe for the first time too, who was giggling like mad, "Who's your friend then? Rhoddy Edwards, I don't think we've met."

Teddy groaned, recognising that as Rhoddy's 'pulling voice' as he shot Chloe the smile that had broke the will of many a girl at Hogwarts.

"Chloe Davies. Mike talks about you a lot, you've got quite the reputation and I am to stay away from you apparently.." She replied, smiling at Mike sweetly who merely grinned sheepishly.

"Here with Williams are you?" Rhoddy just looked amused, then scratched his chin looking at Chloe. "Davies.. Davies.. I'm sorry I can't place you, what house were you in?"

"Oh, I wasn't." Chloe had apparently been preparing for this question, "I'm not magical."

"A Muggle!" He shot a very cheeky grin at Mike, then turned back to Chloe, "Bet you thought he was a right pervert when he told you he was gonna whip out his wand.." There was a collective groan, but Rhoddy pressed on anyway, leaning closer to Chloe and said in a stage whisper. "For the record though.. Mine's bigger."

She giggled and Mike smacked the back of Rhoddy's head, "Yeah, but mine isn't rife with wood-rot, you soppy sheep-shagging shit."

"Alright butt, calm down.." He grinned, looking at Chloe once more, "So how did you end up hooking up with this guy then? I'll have to check and make sure he's not put the Imperius Curse on you, cos you're way too pretty for this mountain troll."

What followed was the often repeated tale of how Mike and Chloe had been friends for years before he'd left for Hogwarts, then reconnected years later and fallen in love. Rhoddy smiled genuinely at the whole thing, then turned Victoire and Teddy.

"Well, two old friends falling in love, who'd have thought it eh?" He glanced between the pair of them obviously, a cheeky grin plastered all over his face.

Victoire smiled at Teddy, then reached out and grasped his hand, lacing her fingers through his, and smirked at Rhoddy, "Well actually.."

"Don't fuck about!" Rhoddy exclaimed, nearly dropping his beer. He turned to Mike and gestured wildly in their direction. "Are they serious?"

Mike's face was as smug as Teddy had ever seen it. "Yep. Only taken, what, seventeen years? I do believe you owe me a pint Mr. Edwards."

"Couldn't have figured this out a year ago Lupin?" Rhoddy said, shaking his head but smiling widely, "Now I owe this fuck-up a beer! On my own bloody birthday!"

Victoire lent into Teddy and kissed his cheek, "He has been incredibly oblivious for years and spoiled many peoples bets apparently."

* * *

Rhoddy bought Mike a drink to conclude their bet and then swaggered back off into his party, after another round of handshakes and elaborate hugs. He quickly found a group of girls who were more than willing to be entertained by his antics.

"I love that crazy Welsh bastard." Mike said, watching him leave. "And not just because he bought me a drink!"

The party was fairly lively and various people dropped by to say hello to one or all of them. Teddy could soon feel the succession of beers taking it's toll on him so suggested they collapse into the recently vacated sofas nearby. Victoire was apparently a giggly drunk, and was currently wrapped around his torso, smiling to herself as the two of them sat and listened to Mike ramble on about something inane while Chloe seemed to be baiting him for sport.

".. no, you see the difference between Charms and Transfiguration is quite ..." He stopped mid-sentence and his face grew hard, craning his neck to look at something over Teddy's head. "Look sharp, here comes trouble."

Teddy span round and glanced over his shoulder, groaning audibly. "Oh for fucks sake.."

Approaching the group, and looking very much worse for wear, was Glen Anderson and two of his mates. One was a short, jumped up looking thing who already had his wand out, while the other was a chubby, red faced kid who was wearing an expression of pure panic and appeared to be trying to calm Glen down.

"What is it?" Victoire said, looking up at him, then raising her head up too see what was going on. "Oh bloody Merlin, I didn't know he was going to be here tonight."

"I'll go head him off.." Mike said, whispering something to Chloe who nodded, then standing up.

Victoire looked at Teddy curiously. "Are you going to get all super-protective boyfriend on me and go beat him up?"

"No." Teddy said bluntly, but his expression was sour. "I'm well aware that you can take care of yourself Vic, and if he came over here and gave you shit when he's drunk, you'd hex his face off."

She smiled at him dangerously. "..but you'd still like to kick his teeth in?"

"You're damn right I would." Teddy replied, and Victoire said nothing. "How's Mike doing?"

They both glanced round and it appeared that Glen had taken the highly idiotic decision to begin to prod Mike in the chest as a way of emphasising his point, whilst gesturing in Teddy and Victoire's direction. His friends stood behind him trying to look tough, but you can only pretend to be so hard when a man mountain is glowering at you.

Victoire sighed. "Go on then, but behave yourself." She kissed him on the cheek, "I'm being deadly serious now Teddy, if you get into a fight, me and you are going to have serious words. Promise me you won't."

He placed his hand on his heart, "I, Teddy Remus Lupin do solemnly promise not to punch any ex-boyfriends in the face, unless they start it, or he really really really deserves it."

She rolled her eyes at him, but stood up to go and sit next to Chloe, who was eyeing the boy with his wand drawn with some concern. Teddy made his way over slowly, trying to assess the mood as he approached. Mike had a tendency to quickly progress from being 'glowering and obnoxious' to 'smashing your face against a table' quite quickly when he'd been drinking and was provoked.

".. all I'm saying Williams, is that I would like to go speak to Victoire. Me and her are still friends I think you'll find. She told me _she would still like to be friends _herself!" Glen spat, prodding Mike in the chest once more.

"And all I am saying is that she doesn't want to speak to you, now stop fucking prodding me and do one before I give you a fucking slap.."

Glen's friends sneered as Teddy approached, and he placed what he hoped was a placating hand on Mike's shoulder.

"Is there a problem here?" Teddy said, keeping his tone even and matching the furious gazes of Glen and his friends.

Glen all but snarled when he saw who had arrived, and Teddy could practically smell the Firewhiskey on him.

"Yes there is a bloody problem!" Glen shouted, "Your gorilla of a friend won't let me past Lupin."

"Hey, calm down mate..."

"I'm not your fucking mate!" Glen yelled, "Don't come over here and talk to me like we're chums. Not happy with stealing my girlfriend, you stand there flaunting it for the world to see!"

In Teddy's mind, they had stood and then sat quietly in the corner for a couple of hours, but Glen was drunk and not really thinking rationally.

"Look," He said, keeping his calm, "I don't want any trouble Glen. I'm not gonna say I'm sorry about what happened with Vic, because I'm not. But you being drunk and starting a Barney isn't going to change things."

Glen began to yell again, and Teddy was aware that people were starting to turn to look at them. Suddenly a hand landed down on his shoulder and Glen stopped mid-rant all of a sudden.

Rhoddy was red-faced and swaying slightly, but he made it clear where he was standing. "What the fuck Anderson? I told you to behave yourself when I saw you come in. What's this all about then?"

"Matey over there," Mike said, turning to Rhod and pointing sharply at Glen, "and his two little mates came over here to _chat_ and then started giving it fucking Billy Big-Balls when I told them to piss off."

Glen looked like he was going to hit Mike, but one of his friends placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. Rhoddy looked at Mike then at Glen, then laughed, "Are you fucking serious Glen? Look at the size of the guy, he'll bloody kill you." He turned to Teddy, who was clearly the most calm of the group, "I take it this is about Victoire."

Teddy nodded and Rhoddy rolled his eyes.

"Look Anderson, these are my mates, and this is my party. Now stop making a dick of yourself, and go sit in the corner and be quiet like a good little boy." He gestured to the opposite side of the bar to where the two girls were sat. Teddy glanced round at them and noticed that Victoire had her wand sat ready on her lap, a frown on her face.

Looking from Rhoddy, to Mike, and finally to Teddy, Glen looked rather furious but said nothing as his friends started to tug him away. Mike, ever the diplomat, waved at him with a great big cheesy grin on his face, almost daring him to say something.

"What a cock.." Rhoddy muttered, "Sorry about that mate."

Teddy let out a breath, at least they'd managed not to get into a..

"Well I suppose it's only fair!" Glen announced loudly to his friend, "I suppose the children of half-breeds should stick together.."

Teddy was not acutely aware of what happened next, as it was like a red-mist had fallen over his eyes. He was not an angry individual by nature, but flippant remarks like that caused him to fly somewhat off the handle. He was aware of pulling free of Mike and Rhoddy, Victoire yelling '_Teddy, no!_' in a distant voice, and then gripping Glen by his collar before his fist connected with his face, once, twice, three times as spells flew either side of him. As he made to make his fourth punch, there was a flash of red, and the world went black.


	8. Teddy's Godparental Chats

**And I'm back! Finally.  
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**Thanks to everybody who reviewed! I know a few people have commented on my crappy grammar on occasion, and all the previous chapters are being updated in a rolling manner to reflect input from MinistryMalcontent, my super-beta from across the pond. Currently up to Chapter 5, with Chapter 6 due rather soon! This chapter is therefore un-beta read, so expect spurious commas and whatnot all over the place. I felt obliged to post it as soon as I was happy with it, especially as it's been so long between updates.  
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**I have managed to bin-off my previous author notes by accident through my updating of the previous chapters, so apologies if they've now disappeared.**

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**Chapter 7 - Teddy's Godparental Chats**

Teddy wrapped on the oak door and stepped back, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

"Come in." came a voice, muffled only slightly by the polished wood. He turned the handle and pushed open the door. Harry was sat at his desk, scribbling furiously with a quill and didn't glance up as Teddy entered.

Deftly, he closed the door behind him, looking at anything in the room except his Godfather.

"Sit." Harry said, his voice cold, a tone Teddy was not familiar with hearing. Though he had been in his fare share of good-natured childhood trouble, he had never seen the man he regarded as a second father actually angry at him.

He sat without a word, and took a great interest in examining his hands. Nineteen years old and he was terrified of what was about to happen. There was, as had always been, a highly irrational part of his brain that reasoned that he and Harry weren't actually family, and if he did anything truly terrible, he would be disowned and disgrace his parents memories. He shook away such thoughts.

Harry shuffled some papers on his desk, and Teddy heard his desk chair creak. He flicked his eyes quickly upwards to see as Harry lent backwards, casually flipping through what appeared to be a dark red file.

"_'White European Male, 17 Years Old, approx 5'9", brown hair. Suffered a broken nose, bruising to the eye and face in an altercation in the Wizards Retreat Public House. Eyewitnesses describe assailant as White European Male, late teens/early twenties, approx 6 feet, red hair with gold highlights.'"_

Teddy finally looked up properly to meet his Godfathers eyes, and he was looking over his glasses at him with an expression that was difficult to read.

"Explain."

Teddy looked at his hands again, wringing them slightly, before looking up and trying to justify why he thought it was acceptable to assault someone in the middle of a pub.

"He was drunk, and being rather obnoxious. Mike, Rhoddy and I all tried to placate him, which I thought we had, but then he made a crack about me being a 'half-breed' and I kinda just lost my rag." Teddy said, calmly, skipping the remark was also about Victoire along with the whole _'stole his girlfriend' _aspect of the argument, "I'll freely admit I'd had a couple of drinks and it was stupid. I probably punched him three times before someone stunned me."

Harry looked at him seriously, raising an eyebrow. "What I want to know is why he started it in the first place? Are you sure there's not another detail you're leaving out?" He looked down at the file again, "_'Victim informally identified as Glen Oscar Anderson.'_That would be Victoire's now ex-boyfriend, if the family rumour mill is to be believed."

Teddy knew he'd been caught. In fact, he suspected Harry had known the whole time but was leaving him just enough rope to hang himself with.

"Yeah it would." Teddy sighed, "The truth is, she left him for someone else, and he was a bit angry about it and wanted words." He considered his next words carefully, "And, well, that someone, well, it's me."

He looked down at his feet. When Harry didn't say anything for a minute, he looked up and there was the faintest glimmer of a smile playing on his lips. He threw the file onto the desk, lent back further in his chair and planted both booted feet on the desk, hands behind his head.

Harry's green eyes pierced him for a moment, then as he stretched out his shoulders he said almost flippantly, "Ron owes me 5 Galleons."

"What?" Teddy stared at him in disbelief.

His Godfather casually picked up a page from the file again, and read it out loud, "_'Victim was heard by witness' making derogatory and threatening remarks regarding assailants blood-status in a public place, which carries itself a maximum term of imprisonment of 6 months or a fine of no more than 1000 Galleons. Magical Prosecution Service will not be recommending it pursued further, informal caution to be given by Department of Magical Law Enforcement officers to victim and assailant if identified.'"_ He placed the page back down on his desk and looked at Teddy sharply, "Consider yourself informally cautioned."

Teddy let out a long, relaxing sigh, and laughed silently as the relief washed over him. He'd received a slap on the wrist essentially, when it could have been worse, much worse in fact.

"Teddy," Harry said, his tone more open and warm now, "I know you are sensitive about people making slurs about your father, rightfully so, but you can't go about pummelling each and every ignorant individual who decides to do it. Try and keep yourself in check from now on, OK?"

He nodded solemnly and simply replied, "Yes Harry."

"Now," his Godfather said, almost jovially, bright green eyes twinkling with mischief, "what are your intentions towards my niece?"

Teddy groaned, this was sure to be the first of many conversations like this. "Are you seriously asking me to answer that question?"

Harry grinned at him, "As someone who ran the gauntlet in dating a girl with 6 older brothers, I was actually looking forward to the shoe being on the other foot." Teddy gave him an exasperated look trying to convey a very simple message, _'You're supposed to be on my side!'_. Harry continued grinning, "But I suppose Victoire has got enough Uncles, and I really should wear my Godfather hat for this one."

Teddy laughed appreciatively, "Cheers Harry, this is likely to be a bit easier when people know the Boy-Who-Lived has got my back."

"Chosen One or not, if Ginny's brothers had been particularly upset back when I was 16, the power that the Dark Lord knew not would have been pretty bloody useless. I was cacking myself, quite frankly."

"You know, you should probably tell Bill that actually," Teddy said, and Harry gave him a curious look, "his kids laughed at him when he said he wanted to sort you out for being Ginny's boyfriend. I believe Louis went as far as to say you'd have kicked his arse!"

That comment sent Harry into a fit of laughter that lasted several minutes, and when he'd regained control of himself, he had to remove his glasses to wipe his eyes.

"You wait until I see him next." Harry laughed again, then looked at Teddy steadily, "Is it serious, this thing between you and Victoire? I know you both wouldn't mess about with your friendship for some fling, but I feel it's my duty to ask."

"Very." Teddy said, hoping to express his seriousness with his eyes, "Harry, I'm.. well, I'm in love with her. The forever kind of love."

While Teddy had told Victoire the first part, this was the first time he had admitted the latter part out loud. He had been thinking it for some time, and it hung in the air when he said it.

"Does she feel the same?" Harry said.

It was not the question Teddy was expecting, and contemplated it for a minute. "I think so, I mean.. OK, you'll see for yourself soon probably, but when we're together, it's like she kinda 'glows' I guess. It's like she makes everything around her beautiful."

He made a low whistle at that response, "I've seen that before."

Teddy was now genuinely interested, while they had both been quite aware of the shimmer since it had started, Victoire had always been slightly reserved about what it meant, other than that she loved him. "Do you mind if I ask.. I mean, I was wondering.."

"Right. You sure you want to know?" Harry stared at him intently, running a hand through his hair somewhat nervously. Teddy nodded. "The day Fleur and Bill got married."

Teddy was fairly sure if he had been holding anything when those words left Harry's mouth, he'd have dropped it. He didn't even know what to say to that.

"She still does, to this day I mean, but you don't really notice it if you're used to it. So Victoire has started doing it?"

"Yeah." It was the only word Teddy could form.

"Teddy, while my knowledge of Veela blood magic is relatively low, I think you can be utterly certain she feels the same way." He lent back in his chair and looked thoughtful again for a moment, and scratched his head, as if contemplating a difficult question, "OK, there's not a really easy way to say this but have you, you know.. er.."

Teddy's eyes went wide as he realised what Harry was eluding too.

"Right, I'm going to take that as a yes, the less I know about this the better." He said, looking as uncomfortable as Teddy felt, "Please tell me I won't be expecting any little Lupin's in 9 months, I'm way way too young to be a grand-godfather."

"Had it covered, you don't need to worry." Teddy replied, hoping they could leave this particular topic of conversation as soon as possible.

Harry looked genuinely relieved. "Well, er, had too ask I guess." They looked sheepishly at each other for a moment, until Harry cleared his throat and continued as if nothing had happened. "So, when are you planning on telling Bill?"

Teddy wondered if Harry was just genuinely skilled at picking the most awkward topics to talk about by sheer luck, or if he had a mental check-list in his head and was secretly laughing at him.

* * *

Their conversation carried on like that, and once Teddy got over the awkwardness of the whole thing, it was actually quite good to speak about his and Victoire's relationship openly with someone who knew the inner workings of Weasley family politics. He spoke to Harry for over an hour, and when he finally decided to Apparate home, he had almost totally forgotten about the bollocking he had received, though was mindful that he had gotten off lightly.

When he popped back into existence in the kitchen of his Grandmothers house, he was surprised to find that Victoire was also there, sat at the kitchen table with a cup of tea and chatting enthusiastically with Andromeda.

"Hey." he said, with a small wave, "I'm back."

"What did Harry say?" Andromeda asked. Teddy had already been admonished by her.

"After he'd finished scaring the crap out of me, he told me I've been informally cautioned and they won't be pursuing further action."

Victoire's lip twitched in what he would be tempted to describe as a hint of a smile, but her face returned so quickly to impassive, that Teddy was not sure if he'd seen it at all.

"You're very lucky young man." His Gran said, though she was obviously very relieved, "I hope you have learnt your lesson." Teddy nodded enthusiastically, and Andromeda got up, "I believe Victoire would like to speak to you."

As she left the Kitchen, Teddy couldn't help but notice that Victoire had fixed him with a steely gaze which scared him slightly more than he was ever likely to admit out loud.

He pulled out the chair next to hers and sat, placing both his hands on the table and looking at them pointedly, before turning his head to the right to look at her finally. Her face was still set, and her eyes maintained their stare as they almost bore into his.

"Do you remember what I said about _not fighting?_" Victoire finally asked, her tone cold.

Teddy had the good sense to look at her pleadingly. He looked away from her glare before he said anything. "Yeah I do."

"Look at me." Victoire asked, and her expression had softened slightly, "Mike told me he made a crack about your parents."

"It wasn't just my parents." Teddy said, a sad kind of grimace on his face, "'_I suppose the children of half-breeds should stick together'_"

She winced slightly at the words. Particularly cruel and jealous girls would often make references to Victoire's Veela heritage at Hogwarts. She placed a small hand over the top of his.

"I'm not mad Teddy, just, don't feel you have to go around fighting ignorant idiots for me. I'm sure your father wouldn't want you to do it for him either. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I know, it's just I get so mad when people say things like that about you and me, it's like I can't help myself. If Mike hadn't have stunned me -"

Teddy stopped, Victoire's expression had gone from sympathetic to amused all of a sudden, and she was smiling at him with a little bit of mischief dancing in her eyes.

Teddy looked at her curiously, and she simply asked: "What?" her grin growing cheekier by the second and clearly feigning innocence.

"What are you smiling at?" Teddy said, though her smile was infectious, and was rapidly displacing his own bemused expression.

Victoire rolled her eyes dramatically, and bit her lip, laughing a little, "_Who _stunned you?"

His brow furrowed a little, then his eyes went wide with shock.

"You!?" he exclaimed, "But you must have been a good twenty five metres away, with a load of people blocking your view!"

"Hey," Victoire said, making a face of airy satisfaction, "I'm not top of my year in Defence Against the Dark Arts for no reason, and lest we forget, Ron Weasley, saviour of the wizarding world, is my Dad's brother."

She said it with such an tone of false snarky smugness that Teddy found it very difficult to get himself under control once he started laughing.

After that, the mood between them returned to normal. Victoire had attended her very first dinner with his Grandmother who, now certain Teddy had been chastised by the three most important people in his life for his indiscretion, was back to her usual self and cooed over the pair of them. Both Teddy and Victoire attempted to discover if there were any other family members with secret wagers about them, but Andromeda was particularly coy about this issue.

* * *

It was several days later, and after receiving their offer letters from the Ministry of Magic's Department of Magical Law Enforcement, that Mike had once again summoned Teddy to the place where he deemed all important and life changing decisions should be made, in the pub over a pint.

They had decided that as 'yuppies', as Mike referred to them both derisively, they should look at getting a house or flat somewhere, out in the world and gain some independence. He also noted that it'd be easier to 'get some alone time with a ladyfriend' if you didn't have to dodge parental interventions, and in particular, his own wouldn't freak out every time he floated something in the air, or Apparated into the house.

Setting out a budget for property was easily done now they had an inkling of what they would be paid, a rather impressive 5,500 Galleons a year. It wasn't a massive amount of money by any stretch, but it was above that of most entry level roles within the Ministry of Magic for those of their qualification level.

After several pints, rather than the intended one or two, a deal had been cut that Mike would check out Muggle properties, whilst Teddy would be responsible for dealing with Wizarding estate agents. That was how, on the Sunday afternoon before he was due to start his first proper day at work, Teddy and Victoire were looking for a flat in a building just off Diagon Alley.

Most Wizards preferred to live in the countryside, away from prying Muggle eyes and where they could practice magic freely, so when it came to magical properties within towns, there were fairly few options. Wizards who favoured city living often lived in Muggle properties, and protected themselves with an array of enchantments to fend off intrusions (and bill collectors wanting to know where their council tax contribution was), however the larger British cities had small, secluded districts of chiefly magical populations, well hidden to all but magical eyes.

Over the years, Diagon Alley had been magically expanded in all directions, creating a small bubble of Wizarding properties, well hidden from Muggles and located in the very centre of London. Teddy had never been down this particular branch off the main street before, and they appeared to be approaching what was once a theatre.

"Is this the right place?" Victoire asked, looking at him curiously.

He checked the details on the piece of parchment again, it appeared to line up with what he was seeing. "Think so, doesn't seem like the sort of place you'd have a two-bed flat though, does it?"

"Maybe you'll live underground like the Phantom of the Opera." Victoire said, beaming cheekily. "You've got the looks for it."

Teddy pouted, which made Victoire laugh. "Can't sing for shit though, so you don't need to worry about me trying it on with any lead Sopranos."

"Good." She replied, stopping to kiss him quickly on the cheek, "You're mine and you're not for sharing."

Making their way into what was formerly the lobby of the theatre, it was quickly clear that all was not as it seemed. Though still distinctly still a lobby of sorts, it was more like that of a hotel, with a reception desk and various signs pointing to a gym, swimming pool and indoor Quidditch facilities. The whole 'bigger on the inside' concept was one of those things that no matter how many times you were exposed to it, it never really lost its power to astound. Teddy and Victoire had come to a halt in the doorway, and were approached by a thin man, with gray hair, who was probably more than three times Teddy's age. He was dressed in an odd uniform of bright red, which made him look like a theatre usher and wore a large brass tag, engraved on which was the name 'James'.

"Hello," the man said, "may I help you?"

"Hi, Teddy Lupin, I'm here to see the flat you've got available." Teddy said, and the man instantly beamed. "I've got an appointment."

"Excellent, excellent, I will call for Mr. Davies forthwith! Please take a seat Mr. and Mrs. Lupin!"

Before either Teddy or Victoire could correct him, he shot off towards a large polished door and disappeared. Teddy glanced at Victoire, who had gone a little pink in the cheeks, he squeezed her hand which made her look round at him.

"Alright there Mrs. Lupin?" Teddy said, with a wry grin.

Victoire rolled her eyes, but turned noticeably redder. "I notice you didn't try and correct him. What makes you think I want to be Mrs. Lupin?"

"Well, you can be Ms. Weasley-Lupin if you want to be all modern about it, if you like." Teddy smirked.

She paused for a moment, then said, "I'll think about it." with a grin. Though he was used to the soft glow that Victoire gave off by now, he was sure it was now shining a little brighter.

Before Teddy could come up with a sufficiently witty response, they were approached by a broad, dark haired wizard, wearing a very sharp Muggle suit. He smiled as he approached, stopping in front of Teddy and holding out his hand.

"Mr. Lupin? Roger Davies." His voice was deep and carried an air of authority.

Teddy nodded and shook the man's hand, before he turned to Victoire, offering his hand again, "Mrs. Lupin?" There was a slight laugh in his voice, and he seemed to be actively suppressing a smile.

"Miss Weasley actually." Victoire said, "Nice to meet you."

"I thought so." The man said allowing the smile to spread across his face, "You look remarkably like your mother, I must say."

Victoire's brow furrowed and she looked deep in thought, whilst Teddy was positively confused. "Davies? As in _Yule Ball_ Roger Davies?" she exclaimed all of a sudden.

The man laughed, and began to guide them towards a lift.

"The one and only. I wondered when the children of people I once knew would start showing up, and it appears today is the day." As they climbed into the ancient looking lift, pulling the brass guard across he turned to Teddy, "I also had the pleasure of knowing your father, Mr Lupin, he taught me during my fourth year. I make no exaggeration when I say he was the best Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor I had during my time at Hogwarts. It was unfortunate he was forced to leave because of his '_condition_', but these were less understanding times."

Teddy didn't really know what to think, he was always in two minds when his father's former students spoke about him. Their warm responses made him proud, but also sad that he had not himself had time to meet the man. Victoire squeezed his hand supportively, as she was one of the few people he had confided this feeling to.

"Well, let us not dwell on the past!" Davies said, switching back to a somewhat more business-like tone, "As you have likely noticed, this is former Muggle theatre. My father was a Muggle property developer by trade, and I somewhat took over the family business, except in a Magical domain. The building has been completely transformed, so whilst the corridors and many of the common areas of the theatre are authentic in many ways, the rooms are all new."

It was very much a sales pitch, and Teddy really only wanted to see what the place was like.

The lift came to an abrupt halt and the cage slid open in front of them, into a plush, red carpeted hallway. Mr. Davies led them along until they reached a door.

"This is one of our 'modern' designs, for the Wizard who is in touch with the 21st century Muggle world." He said, clearly having the measure of Teddy, who could not imagine living in some sort of stuffy faux-cottage flat. "I find it best to just let potential clients explore for themselves, before I step in. I shall return in 15 minutes."

With that, he unlocked the door, opened it, and guided Teddy and Victoire inside, before disappearing once more.

The first thing that struck Teddy wasn't the flat itself, but the fact entering with Victoire just felt so natural, as if it were the two of them looking for somewhere together, rather than for himself and Mike. He looked sideways at Victoire and she had a somewhat faraway look in her eye.

"I get the feeling you're thinking the same thing I am." Teddy stated, plainly.

Victoire looked at him and smiled sweetly, blushing very slightly. "Is it weird to think this already? I mean it's only been a few weeks, but, you know."

"I hope not." Teddy replied, "It just seems so natural, me and you together like this."

She smiled at him shyly for a second, and they began to explore the apartment. It was very modern in design, open plan with hardwood floors, and a rather quite impressive view of central London that was certainly being produced by magic. Two large bedrooms were hidden away off a mezzanine level, both with their own bathrooms. Some furniture was provided, and perhaps most surprisingly of all, so were electrical sockets, which were rather rare even in the most forward-thinking of wizard's properties.

Teddy knew they had found the place. He looked over at Victoire who was walking around the place in some awe, before she lent against a wooden beam, looking out the large windows at the city skyline. He walked slowly behind her, and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her lightly on the neck. Victoire sighed and lent back into his chest.

"Teddy," she said softly, her eyes closed, "please tell me you love this place as much as I do."

"I do." He replied, and she smiled. "I'm a little bit upset that I'm moving in here with Mike though." Victoire tilted her head and looked at him curiously, "See, there's this amazing, beautiful witch who I would much rather live with."

This made Victoire smile broadly at him, her cheeks tingeing slightly with pink. "I'm sure you would, but said witch has another year of school to attend before she can make any real life decisions unfortunately." She span on the spot so she was facing Teddy, kissing him delicately on the lips.

"Do you know what you're going to do when you finish school yet? I didn't have a bloody clue, I just kinda fell into this job."

"I've had one idea actually, been toying with it for a while now, but you might think it's silly." She said coyly.

Teddy made a face. "As if I'd think that."

"Well," Victoire said, breaking eye-contact with him, "I've been kinda thinking about applying for Auror training." This made Teddy chuckle, and Victoire looked at him fiercely, "What? You think I can't do it?"

"No," Teddy said, making an apologetic face, "I laughed because that is exactly the sort of thing you'd be brilliant at. Merlin knows you scare the crap out of me sometimes."

This made Victoire giggle, and she kissed him lightly in the hollow of his neck.

"Thank you." She said, "For believing in me."

Teddy shrugged, and stroked Victoire's hair gently, beaming at her. "Teddy Lupin and his bad-ass Auror girlfriend. I like the sound of that actually."

"Hey," Victoire said, a cheeky smile on her face, "I was Mrs. Lupin earlier, now I'm back to being just '_the girlfriend_' again?"

"_Bad-ass Auror _girlfriend!" Teddy corrected, kissing her delicately on the tip of her nose.

When Roger Davies returned, Teddy and Victoire were both still laughing quietly, looking out the window.

The good looking wizard didn't even really have to try and sell the apartment further to Teddy, who had already made up his mind. He was duly told that Teddy's flatmate would be over tomorrow evening to have a look, and if he agreed with his assessment of the place, they'd be ready to hand over the deposit, sign the paperwork and move in as soon as possible.

* * *

"So," Teddy said, as they left the apartment building and into the sunshine in Diagon Alley, "do you want to actually bother looking at any of these others, or would you like to do something else with the rest of the afternoon?"

Victoire looked at him curiously for a second, as if contemplating something, then said in a serious voice. "Teddy, I think we should tell my parents."

"What, now?" Teddy laughed, not entirely sure if she was serious.

"Well, at dinner tonight." She replied, "I mean, what with you moving into your own flat and everything, I don't want to pretend any more. I love you, and people should know that."

Teddy thought about this for a second, scratching the back of his neck unconsciously. "Yeah, OK.. Sure!" he finally managed to say, with more confidence than he felt.

Victoire laughed at him. "You're cute when you're nervous." She said, kissing him sweetly on the lips and wrapping her arms round his waist. "Don't be, it'll be fine, my entire family loves you already." She stepped back slightly, "I'll Apparate home now, tell them you're coming to dinner tonight, and then we can tell them when the moment seems right."

"You sound like you've given this some thought." Teddy said, "I get the impression there wasn't a 'not telling them' option at all."

"Nope." Victoire said, cheekily.

Teddy sighed, "The things I do for you. Good job I love you really, or you'd drive me batty."

They both laughed, and Victoire kissed him deeply, for several minutes, before they agreed a time he should arrive, and Victoire disappeared home.

Teddy scuffed his foot on the ground, feeling incredibly nervous again all of a sudden. Usually when he was feeling like this, he would speak to Mike, but he was undoubtedly engaged with Chloe so he needed to head elsewhere for advice. He removed his wand from the small pocket in his jeans, turned on the spot leaving London behind, and appearing in an alleyway near some elegant Georgian town-houses.

Harry and Ginny had moved to Bath after they had married, and Teddy was still somewhat in awe of the place. While he was no expert in architecture, he could appreciate the beauty of the Somerset city. He walked to the front door, and wrapped politely with the knocker.

After a couple of minutes, the door was wrenched open, and Teddy was greeted by the bright green eyes of Albus Potter, who grinned at him. Stood to his left, and quickly turning very red indeed as she realised who was at the door, was Rose Weasley.

"Hi Teddy!" he said, enthusiastically. "Mum! Teddy is here!"

"Hi Albus." Teddy said cheerfully, before turning to the bushy haired girl, and saying with a wave, "Hi Rosie."

Rose squeaked slightly, her whole face and ears the deep red of the infamous Weasley blush. Albus rolled his eyes at his cousin.

Ginny Potter appeared from the living room, with Lily in tow, almost her mother in miniature. Lily ran to Teddy almost immediately and was scooped up into a big hug, whilst Rose gave her younger cousin a rather disdainful look.

"Teddy! I'm afraid Harry is out at the moment, some sort of rabble rousing going on up north apparently." Ginny said plainly, her tone making it clear what she thought of those who had interrupted her husband's weekend.

"Actually, it was you I was here to see." Teddy said, glancing at the children significantly.

A smirk spread across Ginny's face that gave him the impression she knew why he was here. "Right kids, myself and Teddy need to have a grown-up chat, you can go play in outside for a bit."

Teddy placed a swift kiss on the top of Lily's head, placing her back on the ground before he ruffled Albus' hair and followed Ginny into the kitchen, whilst the kids rocketed out into the back garden. Ginny pointed her wand at a teapot, then flicked it once more, conjuring two mugs.

"So then Ted, what can I do for you?" Ginny said, pouring out the tea into the mugs, her eyes bright with Weasley mischief, "Girl trouble?"

"Not exactly no." Teddy said, "I'm guessing you know, Harry tells you everything."

"Know what?" she replied, though it was clear she knew exactly what he was talking about.

Teddy rolled his eyes, "About me and Victoire." Ginny simply cocked an eyebrow, a small smirk playing at her lips, but said nothing. Teddy sighed, dramatically. "About me and Victoire dating."

At this remark, she broke into a broad grin, leaning back into her chair, tea clenched in both hands. "Yes I heard about that actually, I'm rather pleased." She replied, before pulling an impish face, "Especially as I had this year in the pool and you two made me 60 Galleons."

This caused Teddy to bark out a laugh, "Oh, so it was you who won? Gran told us about the pool actually, we were wondering who'd cashed in. We're both expecting really good Christmas presents this year."

Ginny chuckled at this. "So is this about Victoire then Ted? I'm not sure what sort of advice you want from me, she's been crazy about you for forever, even when you weren't trying!"

"Well, it's not Victoire I'm worried about to be honest," Teddy said, looking up from his drink. "it's Bill. We're telling him tonight, about us."

This made Ginny smile. "Looking for some advice on dealing with my big brother, eh?" she asked, "You would probably have been better off speaking to Harry, he was rather worried about what my brothers might do to him when they found out about us getting together."

"Yeah, he said!" Teddy laughed, "But you know what Harry's like, he works best under pressure, goes with his gut and dives in head first, Victoire is exactly the same. I prefer to be a little better prepared before doing something."

"It is a very Weasley and Potter trait, I will admit. You're far more Lupin and Tonks." Ginny said, smiling. Teddy blushed slightly. "As for Bill, as my brothers go, he's probably the most laid back, despite whatever front he might put on about being an overprotective Dad." She lent forward again, placing her mug on the table once more. "Now, in order of worry, I would personally place my brothers, in Pufferskin to Portuguese Long-Snout as: Bill, George, Percy then Ron, so be glad it's not Rosie you've decided to date. Not that she'd mind if you wanted too though, given the reaction you caused when you appeared just now."

Teddy smiled sheepishly, "I did notice, but only because Vic pointed it out the other day."

"Despite my earlier comment, there is plenty of Potter in you too apparently." Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "Doesn't matter though, us Weasley girls have a way of winning you over in the end. Rose is just unlucky that Victoire beat her too it."

She grinned at him cheekily, in a way that actually reminded Teddy of Victoire, and he suddenly felt far more at ease about his later dinner date with the eldest Weasley brother.

* * *

**This chapter was originally titled 'Teddy's Independent Lifestyle' but as I switched the focus from Teddy moving out to his chats with Harry and Ginny, I felt the title could do with a well deserved refresh.**

**Two things from an authors perspective in this chapter:**

**1) I wonder if any of you picked up on the hints about Victoire's potential career choice in earlier chapters, often with reference to her grade-A duelling skills. I know this is an unusual pick for Victoire, someone who is often characterised as an unmitigated girly-girl, but the way I see it, Fleur Delacour was powerful Tri-Wizard Champion (a contest which required above average DADA abilities, almost throughout) and a member of the Order of the Phoenix, so there is no way her daughters would be much different. Bill Weasley is a former curse-breaker and adventure seeker, so the genetics makes sense to me.**

**2) I tried to portray the way Harry and Ginny relate to Teddy in slightly different manners. Harry tries to be all stern father figure, which he fails miserably at with Teddy comparative to his own children, whilst Ginny takes more of an older sister type role than that of a mother. I think because her own eldest brother is over 10 years older than her, and Teddy is approximately 16 and a half years her junior, this would be a relationship she'd tend towards more. Also, Ginny is one of my favourite characters, so she gets to be awesome by default.  
**

**Not a big review beggar, so review if you like! I do appreciate all of them, and I try to message everybody who does review, because the personal touch is important.**

**-Steve**


	9. Teddy's Goodbye

**Chapter 8 - Teddy's Goodbye**

Teddy had convinced himself he was fine, but the moment his knuckles hit the door to Shell Cottage he felt the bottom drop out of his stomach.

It wasn't that he was really that afraid of Bill's reaction; having known the man for basically his entire life, he was more than sure he had the measure of him. However, that irrational part of his brain that had filled him with dread at facing Harry days before was starting to make its opinion known once more. No father was going to be particularly pleased to meet his eldest daughter's new boyfriend, especially when he had met the old one less than two months previously.

Teddy wasn't sure what Victoire had actually told her parents about what was happening tonight, or if they were just going to announce it. For all he knew, Victoire may have just said that he was coming round for dinner, and then they'd pick an opportune moment to drop the bombshell.

As the door to the house swung open, and Teddy was greeted by the cheerful face of Bill Weasley, he suspected it was the later.

"Alright Ted, not seen you for a while!" Bill said, gesturing for Teddy to enter, "For the amount of time you and Victoire have been spending together of late, I thought I'd have seen your face at least once or twice."

Teddy shrugged in a non-committal way, "I seemed to always come round when you were out! Just unlucky I guess." He grinned sheepishly, in complete knowledge that whenever he did come round, there was a very good reason for Victoire's parents to be out of the house.

"No matter." Bill replied, before turning his head towards the stairs, shouting, "Victoire! Teddy is here."

There was a rumbling of footsteps from above and Bill flopped down into an his favourite battered arm chair.

"So, tomorrow is the big day!" Bill said, "A working man. Excited?"

"Yeah, I mean, I've got a feeling tomorrow is going to be a lot of form filling and procedure stuff, but once we get cracking with the real work, it'll be good."

Bill nodded sagely, "Are they issuing you with any horrifically coloured robes? A friend of mine from Hogwarts is a healer and he's got these dreadful bright green things."

"Not really sure, I mean.." Teddy's response was cut short as Victoire appeared at the bottom of the stairs. She had changed since he had last seen her, and looked positively radiant in a pale yellow sundress. The ethereal glow appeared as soon as she sighted Teddy, and though usually entranced by its beauty, today it just made him rather nervous.

"Hey." She said, softly, smiling at him.

Bill twisted in his chair to say hello to his daughter. "Vicky, could you ask your mother - "

Whatever it was Bill had wanted his eldest daughter to ask his wife, Teddy would never know. Bill blinked several times, mouth hanging slightly slack, before his expression become one of slight confusion. He looked sharply at Teddy, then back at Victoire, and it appeared he had already put two and two together.

Victoire stood, and Teddy sat, in silence, almost waiting for the inevitable.

"Victoire, sit down please." Bill said, his voice remarkably calm. She crossed the room, and sat down on the sofa next to Teddy. Instinctively, he slipped his hand into hers. Teddy was trying to maintain Bill's eye contact, but his bravery only extended so far. "Something you two wish to tell me by any chance?"

"Er." Was all Teddy managed to get out of his mouth, panic now well and truly setting in.

Victoire had no such qualms however, choosing the direct approach. "Teddy and I are dating, Dad."

Bill regarded them both, eyes settling on their intertwined fingers. Teddy was having a hard time reading his face, which he was keeping entirely neutral.

"Since when?"

Teddy managed to gain control of himself long enough to answer this, "Since Harry's birthday," looking at Victoire, who smiled shyly, "but I suppose it's been a long time coming really."

This provoked a glimmer of a smile from Bill, who considered them both again. "This is serious then?"

"Yes." They said simultaneously, before looking at each other, then away again, blushing slightly.

Bill laughed at this accidentally display of solidarity. "You two always did think with one mind, I suppose I should have seen this coming really." He fixed Teddy with a serious glare, which made him feel slightly uncomfortable, before laughing himself and shaking his head, "It's quite difficult to fix you with my best scary Dad steely gaze when I've changed your nappies Teddy Lupin, so consider yourself lucky. Believe me, it's quite terrifying."

They all laughed, and with that, the mood lightened and Teddy's worries evaporated, and the evening continued far more pleasantly.

Fleur and Dominique had 'known for ages', a comment Bill was quite indignant about, having not been informed of 'the situation' by either. Louis reacted with a plain, "Ew mate, that's my sister!" then laughed it off.

"So, who else knows about you two?" Louis asked, mouth full of pudding, "I like to hope I've got the drop over at least some of the extended family, as I was apparently the **last to know** in my own." He glared at the pair of them.

"Between us we've told, everyone here, obviously. My Gran, Harry and Ginny too, but apparently Hermione, Audrey, Angelina had us rumbled ages ago. There was a pool and everything!" Teddy said, somewhat annoyed by this. He glanced at Victoire, "Oh, apparently Ginny won. 60 Galleons! Make sure you tap her up for a good Christmas present."

There was a chorus of laughter, before Bill added, with a certain evil glint in his eye, "I notice a certain lack of my brothers in that list there Mr Lupin."

"Well," Teddy said, with a cheeky grin, "I thought if I could get you and Harry on my side, you'd be able to hold off the rest of them while I made my escape.." Bill looked at him dubiously. "Yeah, I'm a dead man. Sorry Vic, it's been great, but I don't even think Harry Potter can save me now."

Teddy gave her a watery smile, and she rolled her eyes at him. "Like I'd let them hurt you, they'd have to come through me first."

"Chalk that up as another reason why it's awesome to have a bad-ass Auror girlfriend." Teddy grinned, and Victoire smiled back at him, her Veela glow increasing ever so slightly.

"Mum, get me a bucket, I'm about to puke." Louis said, interrupted, making retching noises.

"LOUIS!" Fleur snapped.

Nikki grinned cheekily, "He's right Mum, if they keep looking at each other like that, I'm worried I'll get pregnant in sympathy."

"DOMINIQUE!"

Bill Weasley sighed, placing his head into the palm of his hand, shaking it ever so slightly. "You really want to be a part of this madness?" He asked.

Teddy looked at him, then at Victoire, "As long as I can remember."

* * *

He recounted the tale of his first evening as 'the boyfriend' to Mike the following day as they began their first day at work. He was duly dubbed a 'lucky fuck' and no more was said of it.

As had been widely predicted, their first day at the Ministry consisted of form filling, tours and settling into their new workplace. The Ministry clerk who issued the departmental robes had been very confused, as a brand new branch of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement they had not been given an official dress code yet, so were given free reign as to what they wanted to wear. Teddy had begun to suggest sensible work robes, but had been quickly silenced by Mike who disappeared to the toilets for 5 minutes, before returning in suit trousers, trainers, an open necked shirt and, most amusingly, a large white lab coat. His face was plastered with such a grin of triumph, that Teddy sighed and transfigured his own clothes to match.

That evening, Teddy took Mike to meet Roger Davies and take a look at the flat he and Victoire had found the day previous. After a quick look, Mike couldn't give him his Gringotts account number quick enough, the contracts were signed and they were set to receive their keys on Saturday morning.

Teddy occupied himself the rest of the week balancing work, packing up his things for the with Victoire (this probably would have been quicker had he done it on his own, as they found plenty of things to do to distract themselves instead) and visiting Harry and the kids before they left for school. Albus was about to start his first year at Hogwarts on the following Monday, and was being tormented rather badly by James about being sorted into Slytherin. Teddy pointed that his Gran had been a Slytherin, shutting James up for at least a moment.

Come Saturday, Teddy, with some assistance from Harry, Ginny, Andromeda and Victoire, managed to move his things in rather quickly. Mike's parents, who rather figured moving out would involve vans and shuttling between Reading and central London were glad for the help of the Wizards as Mr Williams was getting rather huffy about trying to find somewhere to 'bloody park on Charing Cross bloody Road'.

By midday, most everybody had left and Teddy (again assisted by Victoire) had set about unpacking his things. Mike had abandoned unpacking his own things at some point, instead he was found in the front room prodding around inside the back of a battered looking television with his wand.

"Are you actually going to unpack any of this shit, or just leave it laying about the place?" Teddy inquired, chucking a balled up piece of parchment at Mike, who was still muttering from behind the screen.

Mike's head popped up, his blonde hair had been ruffled slightly by constant running of his hands through it, and there were several smudges of dust on his face. He looked less than amused.

"Have you ever attempted to break into an encrypted digital satalite transmission magically before? No you haven't. I assure you it's quite tricky, now bugger off, I'm busy."

"Is that legal?" Teddy asked, rather aware that they did now work for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Mike's head appeared again, his wand behind his ear and a screwdriver in his hand. "Not strictly no, but if you can find me a satalite telly installer who can find this gaff so I can watch the football, I'll gladly pay him to come round."

Teddy rolled his eyes at Victoire who giggled slightly, and they both retreated to his room where the sticking of several photographs to his was wall was quickly abandoned for more entertaining activities.

* * *

A loud knock on his door roused Teddy from his dosing. He disentangled himself from the sleeping form of Victoire, and gently placed a sheet over her body, before hunting round the room for where his underwear had been disgarded.

He wrenched open the door to find a rather amused looking Mike with an eyebrow raised, noting his state of undress. Mike himself had obviously tidied up and was now free from dust and grease, and was wearing a blue and white striped Reading FC shirt.

"What?" Teddy asked, somewhat annoyed at being disturbed.

"Two things," Mike said, smirking, "first, Chloe is here and we're about to watch the game and wondered if you and Vicky would like to join us. Second, what with you being a Wizard and everything, have you ever considered something called a silencing charm? I don't think I ever want to hear the words 'oh Teddy' ever again."

Teddy felt his face heat up while his mouth just flapped open and shut. Mike just laughed, turning his back walking back towards the front room.

Rather grumpily, Teddy shut his door, while a clearly awake Victoire was failing miserably at pretending to still be asleep.

"You know, if you're going to pretend to be asleep, you should probably stop grinning." Teddy laughed, which made Victoire's smile broaden, but she screwed her eyes up and tightened her grip on his sheet. "Don't make me tickle you out of bed, because I will."

This provoked the required reaction, and Victoire sat bolt upright in the bed, wrapping herself in sheet and giving him a rather steely glare. "Don't you dare."

Normally Teddy would have taken such a look as a very serious warning, but given that Victoire's wand lay amongst the heap of her clothes at his feet, he decided to push his luck. "Oh I dare." He climbed back onto the bed and Victoire tried to wiggle away from him whilst attempting to retain her modesty, giggling loudly. Teddy had a feeling they were going to miss the match.

The mood was ruined however when a flash of light entered the room. Mike's Patronus, a rather smug looking Tomcat, appeared and said in an amused voice, "What did I say about a Silencing Charm?" which elicited a groan from Teddy who rolled onto his side.

"I suppose we should get dressed." Teddy said, with some reluctance, as Victoire drew lazy circles on his chest with her fingertip.

"Personally," she said, "that sounds like a terrible idea. I go back to school on Monday and I feel that is going to be rather frustrating."

Teddy laughed, "Believe me, I agree with you completely." He rolled sideways so they were nose to nose, kissing her gently on the lips, "However, we are being remarkably unsociable."

"Well, I suppose we should say hello to Chloe," Victoire said, smiling in a knowing fashion, "especially as I've been given a free pass to stay the night..."

That statement caused Teddy to break into a large grin, "You mention this now?"

"It's on the condition that we both appear washed, dressed and on-time for Sunday dinner at Grandmas tomorrow." Victoire smiled, "Big Weasley family send off to those of us still trapped in education."

"Ah, my favourite sort of party." Teddy said, before looking thoughtful, "What are we going to say about 'us'?"

Victoire reached up with her hand, and ran it through his short hair. "As half of the family already knows, I don't think we particularly need to make some sort of formal statement, do we?"

"We should probably tell your Grandparents, if someone hasn't already." Teddy stroked her flank through the sheet, "Perhaps we should be a bit more delicate about it with the younger ones, especially Rose."

"Ah." Victoire said, looking rather amused, "Afraid you'll lose your popularity with the other Weasley women, are you? Not thinking of trading me in for a younger model already, I hope."

He hit her with a pillow.

* * *

Teddy had watched (and participated, badly) in many Muggle football matches before, often with Mike who as a spectator would become overexcited and yell at the players like a mad man. He had even watched Mike's team, the decidedly average Reading FC, with him before, where the excited yelling would often become a torrent of abuse at the opposition. What Teddy had not watched before was Mike watching a Reading match with another diehard Reading fan, and the results were exponential.

Against stereotype, Chloe was a crazed Royals fan and her abuse of the opposing Liverpool was nearly as bad as Mikes.

"Get up you great pansy prick!", "For fucks sake, referee!", "Oh you useless shitbag!", "Fucking hit it, you mug!", it went on and on. Victoire seemed to vary between highly amused, slightly confused about what all the fuss was about and, despite not being exactly ladylike in her own language, rather shocked at some of the things that came out of Chloe's mouth.

Reading conceded a late goal, after a rather dubious decision on a blatant dive that resulted in Mike and Chloe questioning the parentage of the offending player, and rather more amusingly, commenting on the promiscuity of the match official's mother. The game finished tied, and they both attempted to be upbeat about it, but Teddy could tell they were disappointed.

Shortly afterwards, Mike produced a bottle of wine that had been a housewarming gift from his parents (his brothers had supplied a crate of beers and several worn and heavily amended cookbooks from their student days) and the four of them settled in for the evening, chatting about football and explaining to Chloe the concept of Quidditch. She promised that she would attend a match with them in an attempt to understand what all the fuss was about.

Eventually night drew in, the wine bottle (and a few beer bottles too) sat empty on the coffee table and the two couples went their separate ways.

As soon as his bedroom door had clicked shut, Teddy made sure he cast a silencing charm and Victoire virtually pounced on him. He was rather sure there wouldn't be much sleeping going on.

When Teddy awoke the next day, Victoire's back was nestled into his chest, his left arm curled over her waist and her small hand loosely gripping his. He gripped her tighter and she sighed as contentedly as Teddy felt. Though it was early, and was fairly sure he had only actually gone to sleep a few hours earlier, Teddy was certain it was one of the best nights sleep he had ever had.

Victoire rolled in his arms so she was facing him, smiling slightly shyly, her usually immaculate blonde hair a mess.

"I could get used to waking up like this." She said, kissing his neck softly and gently raking her fingernails down his chest.

Teddy shivered, and not from cold. "Me too." He kissed her forehead in return, "I think you should forget school, you can live here with me."

"A very tempting offer." She replied, looking thoughtful, "Not sure I'm quite willing to become a housewife just yet, far too many talks about feminism with Aunt Hermione."

"I suspected as much," he smiled at her, raising a clenched fist, "fight the power!"

Victoire giggled, "Says he who used to have a Che Guevara poster."

"Hey, I still have that somewhere!" Teddy protested with a grin, which turned into a sad smile, "I can't believe you're going back to school tomorrow."

Her grip on his waist increase, and Victoire buried her head into his neck, "I know. It seems very unfair."

"I'm going to miss this." Teddy swept a piece of stray hair behind her ear, laughing softly to himself, "Not the fact we are naked in my bed. Well, that too, but this. Us."

She raised her head, and slid upwards in the best so they were nose to nose. "Me too. This has been the best month of my life." Victoire placed a delicate kiss on his lips. "I love you."

Teddy kissed her back, "I love you too." He looked at her seriously, a huge wave of emotion overtaking him, "Vic, I know it's only been a month, but with all our history, everything that has happened, when I think about the future, all I see is you in it. I want to be with you forever."

Victoire said nothing, but kissed him so passionately in response that Teddy knew she felt the same.

* * *

Sometime later, they disentangled themselves from each other and began to get dressed for the annual Hogwarts sending off Sunday dinner at The Burrow.

Teddy moaned about the length of time it took Victoire to get ready (he himself, being fully washed and dressed in twenty minutes), and a slightly sour looking Victoire explained that while it may have been plenty of fun for him running his hands through her hair all night, it now required some work to make it lay flat again if she wanted to be presentable. He was secretly very pleased with himself, but said nothing in fear of a Bat-Bogey Hex.

They apparated to The Burrow just in time, and given the amount of children currently running around in the garden, they were likely the last to arrive. Louis appeared to be conducting the younger children in some sort of game, and waved lazily as they approached.

Teddy's hands were stuffed deep into his pockets, and Victoire had her arm linked through his, leaning into his shoulder slightly.

"Good night last night?" Louis asked with some innuendo, before blanching, "Actually, don't answer that. I really, really don't want to know."

"No, you certainly don't." Victoire answered smartly, with a grin.

Louis shuddered violently as Teddy and Victoire left him in their wake on their way into the house.

They were intercepted on their way by several children, including an incredibly hyperactive James Potter who seemed almost oblivious that Victoire was there, speaking rapidly to Teddy alone before running off when called by Freddie. Eventually, after a bright red Rose had squeaked a hello to them, they found their way through the back door and into the kitchen of The Burrow.

"Aw, aren't you two sweet!" grinned an amused Angelina, "Couldn't have held out for another six months could you Teddy? I thought I'd be a shoe in for that 60 Galleons."

"No comment." Teddy said, with a wry smile. "Everyone else in the living room?"

Angelina nodded, "I'm just getting some drinks, would you like anything? Beer, wine?"

Teddy and Victoire both gave an affirmative to drinks, and moved into the living room, where the adults of the Weasley and Potter clans were sat.

"Oi! Hands off my niece!" shouted the voice of George Weasley as soon as they entered, to which Victoire pressed herself against Teddy further, not allowing him to pull away at the chorus of laughing.

"More like hands off my Godson..." Ginny responded with a wink, to which Teddy grinned sheepishly. Bill Weasley just shook his head, putting his face in his hand, apparently having had endured a whole morning of these sort of remarks from his siblings.

Victorie rose to her tip-toes and kissed Teddy on the cheek and there was an amused cacophony of cat-calls. Victoire rolled her eyes at the attention while Teddy shrugged it off good naturedly.

"Yes, yes, laugh it up." Victoire said, barely concealing her exasperation. "By the way Aunt Ginny, I expect a very good Christmas present this year."

Ginny laughed, "Well, that can be arranged. You're not the only one who has had to contend with clueless boys in this family. Think it's a Weasley curse."

"Does seem that way," Hermione said, "though I think you'll find for most of us, it was the Weasley _boys_ being the clueless ones."

Fleur shook her head, "Bill was not so clueless about my intentions, I think."

Victoire groaned at the sappy look her parents were giving each other. Several of the male occupants of room groaned also, though this was likely because they were fed up of tales of their own romantic shortcomings being swapped between their wives.

Harry stood up and headed for the kitchen, closely followed by Ron and George. Bill seemed to be sat looking rather smug, Percy appeared to be pinned to his chair by Audrey who had her arm over his shoulders, but desperately planning an escape in his mind, whilst Charlie was sat in rapt attention, mentally making note of each of his brothers mistakes for future mickey-taking ammunition.

"We should find your Grandparents while this lot are distracted." Teddy said, whispering in Victoire's ear.

Her eyes flicked round the room in a conspiratorial manner. She leaned in very close, breath hot on his ear for far too long, and simply said "OK.", kissing him in the sensitive spot behind his ear causing Teddy to gasp, before pulling back and grinning at him cheekily.

"Saw that!" came the voice of Charlie Weasley, and before he could inform anyone what exactly he had seen, Teddy steered Victoire out the door of the front room, through the kitchen and into the garden once more.

"That was fairly painless. Though apparently you are attempting to get your Uncles to do unspeakable things to me." Teddy said. as they wandered round the outside of the house, spotting Victoire's grandparents sat on a bench, watching the younger grandchildren playing in a conjured sandpit with Andromeda.

Victoire stopped, placing her hand on his upper arm, smiling at him in way that made Teddy's insides do back flips, "I'm the only one allowed to do unspeakable things to you." She lent up and kissed his cheek once more, then strode off towards the three adults, leaving Teddy somewhat stunned for several seconds, having to jog to catch her up.

"Hi Grandma, Grandad." Victoire said, brightly, "Hello again, Andromeda."

"Ah, there is my Grandson, I did wonder when he was going to come and say hello." said Andromeda, standing up to hug them both.

Teddy smiled at Molly and Arthur, who also stood and the five of them exchanged further pleasantries.

"Andromeda tells me you've settled into your own place nicely Teddy." Arthur said, "It sounded lovely from her description."

"Yeah, it's nice, right in the middle of Diagon Alley, so very convenient for just about everything. The building has got some great facilities too."

"It's very upmarket." Andromeda added, then her face turned mischievous, "So, anything new with you two?"

"Er." Teddy managed to say, looking at Victoire shyly, who was blushing. "Well, yes actually."

He took his hand from his pocket and intertwined it with Victoire's, who turned an even deeper red. Molly Weasley's eyes widened, while Arthur simply smiled a knowing smile to himself.

"I knew it!" Molly Weasley said, standing up once more and pulling the pair of them into a deep hug. "Ever since the two of you were in nappies. I knew it!"

Teddy and Victoire laughed, both mentally adding her Grandmother to their mental lists of people who had 'seen this coming'.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon passed pleasantly, with Teddy and Victoire both on the receiving end of some gentle ribbing by various member of her family. They had all apparently realised that they didn't want to cause a commotion amongst the younger children so all remarks were subtle enough that they didn't appear to catch on. At one point, Rose Weasley looked at the pair of them suspiciously, but turned away in a deep blush when Teddy smiled at her.

James Potter once again winding up his brother about being in Slytherin, and received a rather stern telling off by both his parents and Teddy's Grandmother, who sought assure all the unsorted children that not all people from that house were as evil as James Potter's big mouth claimed. Albus perked up a little at that, and looked slightly calmer.

As the families filtered off into the house, either tea or to Floo home to prepare to catch the train the next day, Teddy and Victoire sat on a bench outside, looking up at the stars.

"Are you sure you'll be able to make it tomorrow?" Victoire said, snuggling further into Teddy's chest, "It's only your second week of work, and you're already taking the morning off."

Teddy smiled, "Ministry makes special allowances for the first day of school, thankfully. A considerable portion of the staff have kids to drop off so starting at 12 is perfectly acceptable." He kissed the top of her head, "I'll be there."

"Good," Victoire murmured into his chest, "I want a decent goodbye kiss, not some rush job."

He laughed, and he could feel her smiling into his chest. "Well, we couldn't have that could we. I'm gonna go all out, see if I can yet convince you to blow off school."

She sat up slightly, so she could rest her forehead on his temple. "It'll be fine Teddy, we can see each other every Hogsmeade weekend." She kissed the hollow of his neck, "Plus I heard they invented these things called letters where two people who are far apart can talk to one another."

Teddy laughed again, "Alright, cheeky." He turned his head, so he could look into her eyes, "I don't know if I mentioned that I'm going to miss you."

"Once or twice." Victoire smiled, "I'll miss you too, you big lump."

"I'm totally taking that as a compliment." Teddy smiled, kissing her gently on the lips.

* * *

At half past ten the next day, Teddy apparated to the designated spot within Kings Cross Station, which was helpfully located in an out-of-use disabled toilet that only smelled slightly of stale urine. He did wonder if the station staff noticed that the same toilet seemingly became out-of-use year in, year out on the first Monday of September for no apparent reason.

He wandered from the concourse area, along the side of Platform 8 and into the annex building which housed Platforms 9 and 10, waiting until the train dispatcher was looking in the opposite direction, and slipped through the barrier into the steam and smog of Platform 9 and 3/4.

"Alright, butt!" came a broad Welsh voice, and a strong hand slapped him on the back, as his vision came back into focus, "Here to see off Victoire, are you?"

Teddy turned to face the grinning face of Rhoddy Edwards, who was accompanying a boy and girl in their early teens, each pushing a trolley stacked with their trunks.

"Alright, Rhod." Teddy said, "What are you doing here?"

Rhoddy gestured at the pair of teenagers, "Mam and Da' are off on their jolly holidays, so I've been stuck dropping off the brats, haven't I!."

"Oi!" the girl said, kicking Rhoddy in the shins. Teddy couldn't help but laugh.

Rhoddy rubbed his shin, looking disgruntled. "My delightful sister Gwenllian, and her twin Aneurin. Brats, the legend that is Teddy Lupin." Teddy waved a hello.

The girl looked at him curiously. "It's Gwen, _never _Gwenllian. Are you James Potter's brother? Only he says that you are, but I told him that was stupid because you've got different surnames, and obviously your surname would be Potter if Harry Potter was your Dad, which he clearly isn't because you don't look anything like him." She said, somehow managing to do so in one breath.

"Er, technically no, but my Godfather is his Dad." Teddy said, feeling oddly moved. "So yeah, he's pretty much my brother."

"Oh." She said, frowning slightly. It appeared that Gwen was going to ask Teddy another question, but was cut off by Rhoddy, and who waved him onwards with a wink.

Teddy saluted a goodbye, and asked the twins to say hello to James for him if he didn't manage to catch him before the train left.

He made his way to the third carriage from the front, where Victoire said she would be located, and found her sat with her brother and sister, along with several of their mutual friends. Teddy knocked on the carriage door, before sliding it open.

"Ah, it all becomes clear why you were so very anxious to arrive early today..." Dominique said, with a smirk.

Victoire said nothing, and simply smiled at him, the glow emanating softly from her skin. She stood up, pushing him lightly out of the compartment and into the corridor, planting a deep kiss on Teddy's lips.

There were several 'oohs' from within the compartment, along with a rather sickened sounding "Argh, make it stop!" from Louis. Teddy grabbed Victoire by the hand and pulled her to the vestibule end, rather than endure further heckles from her siblings.

When they stopped, Victoire launched herself on him once more. It was several minutes later by the time they came up for air.

"Hey." Teddy said, breathlessly. "How did I do on the goodbye kiss so far?"

Victoire smirked at him, "Not bad. I'm still going to school though."

"Must - Try - Harder." Teddy said, punctuating each word with a kiss.

As the two of them indulged in the simple pleasure of being with each other for perhaps the last time until October, they were oblivious to the world around them. Students passed them, some looking on jealously at Teddy (and several jealously at Victoire), more were amused and a couple of particularly snooty prefects looked on disdainfully. However there was one student who was not going to pass quietly and let them get on with what they were doing.

"Teddy?" came a quiet voice, sounding rather shocked and confused. "Teddy, what are you doing?"

He loosened his grasp on Victoire, turning round to find a rather pale looking James Potter staring back at him.

"Er, I'm here to see Victoire off?" Teddy said, trying his luck.

James screwed his face up, apparently not falling for that ruse. "No you're not! You were snogging her!"

"I am totally here to see her off. Whether that involves 'snogging' is largely irrelevant."

"But..." James started, but Teddy interrupted, mostly before Victoire hexed him.

"James, I know you're going back to Hogwarts today, so have a nice time, but do a brother a favour and shove off. I'm busy."

The redhead scowled at him, stuck his tongue out, before he ran off telling everybody he vaguely knew exactly what he had seen happening at the other end of the train.

Teddy glanced at Victoire, and she seemed to be attempting to contain her laughter. She smiled at Teddy, who was barely managing to control himself, and before long the pair of them had collapsed into a fit of giggles.

"Well, that was slightly embarrassing." Teddy said, as Victoire wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes.

"Says you," Victoire smiled, "I'm not going to hear the end of this once we get to school."

"Good point. You may want to start doing revealing spells on your food from now on. I suspect Rose is going to be after you."

She rolled her eyes at him, "Ah yes, there is no worse wrath than a Weasley woman scorned."

"Don't I know it..." Teddy muttered, and Victoire smacked him on the arm playfully.

They held each other for a moment, as the Hogwarts Express began to build up a head of steam. The whistle blew to indicate the train would soon be departing north.

Teddy looked into Victoire's eyes, which appeared to be watering up slightly, though she would likely deny it if he mentioned it.

"I guess that's my cue." He said sadly, before kissing her passionately before the train left. "Any movement on the 'skive off seventh year, live with Teddy' proposal?"

Victoire cupped his cheek with her right hand, standing on her tip-toes and kissing him softly once more, then shaking her head, "Afraid not. It was a valiant effort though, for what it's worth."

Teddy stepped down onto the platform and shrugged. "It's alright, I'll give it another go at Christmas, I reckon I'll have you dropping out. If not, there's always Easter."

"You can try. In fact, I look forward to it." Victoire said, pulling the train door closed, running a hand through her long blonde hair. "I'll miss you Teddy. Every day."

"Me too." Teddy said, stretching up from the platform to place a delicate peck on her lips, "I love you Vic."

"I love you too Teddy." She replied, as the whistle of the scarlet steam engine blew once more, and the train started to move.

Teddy walked alongside the train, attempting to keep up with the window Victoire was leaning out of, but soon it was travelling too fast for him to keep up. He maintained eye contact with Victoire until he could no longer discern her head from the dozens of others which were leant out of the windows, waving goodbye to parents, siblings and other well-wishers.

He thought back to his own departure on the Hogwarts Express for his seventh year. If someone had told him then that in two years time, he would be stood at the end of Platform 9 and 3/4, having spent his summer falling in love with Victoire and currently feeling rather upset at her departing, he would never have believed them. In fact, he was sure he'd have thought them quite mad and denied such things were possible as he and Victoire were clearly _'just friends'_. Mike would have laughed, wondering how he was so blind, Victoire would have blushed and said nothing.

Teddy smiled to himself, the Hogwarts Express now only a spot in the distance. Occasionally it was nice to be proved wrong.

**The End**

* * *

Authors Note: And that's that. Thanks to everybody who reviewed! In between posting this chapter and the last, I received several nice reviews, which was great.

This is actually the first piece of fanfiction I've ever finished, so it was nice to finally put it to rest. I'm glad I did, and though I'm sure I'll never be 100% happy with how any of my work turns out, I'm quite proud to have actually _done it._

As for the future, I've got a couple of things in the works. I've been sketching an outline for a James Potter story, which will feature Rhoddy's twin brother and sister who I rather randomly introduced in this chapter (see, there was a point to that bit!), which will hopefully let me write more phonetic south Wales dialogue.. :) Aside from that, I've got a one-shot between Rose and Victoire which acts as a semi-epilogue to this story, which will also sow some very minor seeds for my next project after James, a Rose and Scorpius story.

Cheers for reading. Now in the words of my generation, to the pub!

-Steve x


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